Compliments
by 00Verisimilitude00
Summary: I showed him how to chuck girls and avoid the waterworks. I told him how to pick up girls without sounding like a tosser. I was his best friend. That was all I was to him: frizzy haired, library book Nazi, Rose. And I was happy with that... I thought.
1. Friendship

**A/N: Hi guys! Here's another Rose/Scorpius story. It's a bit less focused than The Chess Game and a good deal longer. I think this first chapter has more words than the whole of The Chess Game combined. **

**I feel like it's been forever since I've posted something... heh. I think it's been four days. Anyway, this has been sitting in my RWSM file for a few weeks, so I finally decided to post it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own... (insert recognized name here).**

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"This could work," I said, holding up a fine silver necklace with a jade teardrop pendant.

Scorpius shook his head at me, reaching out to wrap the chain experimentally around his finger. "Too cliché."

"You're the pickiest person I've ever met, hands down," I grumbled as I put the jewellery back.

Scorpius shook his head, smiling at me. "My dear Rosie, you will be too once you have to pick out a Christmas present for some gentleman friend of yours."

I snorted. "'Gentleman friend'?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Scorpius didn't refute his earlier claim, but a slight pink tinge appeared around his high cheekbones. "It's what my mum says," he muttered after a moment.

I grinned. "Your mum was wondering if _you_ have any 'gentlemen friends'?" This was highly amusing. Oh I could delight in this for _ages_.

Scorpius immediately scowled. "No," he said emphatically, looking askance at my gleeful smile. "She was asking about _you."_

That shut me up. I walked over to another glittering shelf while trying to reign in my temper. Merlin knows Scorpius would never forgive me if I left him to shop for Jade's gift all alone. Although a womanizer, he did care about his many girlfriends. Even if he did go through them very fast.

"This one's nice," I said, pointing at a random pair of amethyst earrings displayed at eye level.

I felt Scorpius come up behind me. Turning, I saw him frown. "Too small," he criticised, peering over my shoulder.

I glanced down at my watch. "Come on, lover boy, we've got half an hour until curfew. It wouldn't do if both the Heads were caught out of bounds on a Hogsmeade weekend. Choose _something_ for Merlin's sake."

Scorpius made a few thoughtful rounds about the shop, studying the glittering gems with a practiced eye. "How about these?" he asked experimentally, indicating a necklace and earring set made of diamonds and sparkling sapphires.

"Well it's nice," I said slowly as I considered his choice. "But, as loath as I am to remain stuck in this shop with you for a minute longer," I nudged him playfully in the ribs with my elbow, "diamonds mean business."

He cast me a questioning look.

"She might get the wrong idea if you give her this." I waved my hand over the display case. "Mainly that you're in for a long term relationship."

Scorpius backed away from the diamonds in horror. Once he was a safe distance away he told me, "And that's why I need you here Rose."

I hummed thoughtfully, a smile playing across my lips, as I turned away from him and ran a finger along the edge of one of the many glass cases lining the walls.

"You know, I can never figure out what all this mental girl stuff means on my own," his voice continued.

"'Mental girl stuff'?" I quoted as a question, looking over my shoulder at him.

"Yeah," said Scorpius, rolling his eyes. "You know, the hidden meanings in flowers or presents, when she's trying to make you jealous as opposed to when she's actually cheating on you..." he drifted off.

"You've been cheated on?" I asked with interest.

"Oh yeah." He didn't look that concerned.

"You don't seem to put out about it," I said aloud.

He smiled sheepishly at me. "Er, it was probably because I cheated on her first."

I shot him a reproachful glare. "You're in incorrigible."

He held his hands up in surrender. "Yes I know, and I deserve all your near illegal verbal abuse and tongue lashings. But, in my defence, I was fifteen."

I crossed my arms over my chest, clearly asking him silently, 'So what?'

"Well, it wasn't like I shagged another girl," explained Scorpius. "Just fooled around a bit in the back of the common room."

"That's just gross. With everyone watching?"

Scorpius scratched the back of his neck in an embarrassed sort of way. "Er, probably. Doesn't matter, everyone was too plastered to see straight anyway."

"I see," said I tapping my foot and frowning sternly, "and that's what makes it okay?"

"Y-no," he changed direction at the speed of light once he caught my glower that was about to appear. "Not at all," he said firmly, shoving his hands in the pockets of his trousers and looking determinedly at the floor.

I let him stew in his guilt for a few moments, watching as every once in a while he would sneak a peek at one of the display cases to his left. Scorpius looked as if he was seriously considering death-by-cufflink after a minute or two under my icy glare.

Finally deciding that he'd had enough, I broke the silence. Frankly I didn't feel like staying in the cramped jewellery store a minute longer to give the whole You're at Total and Complete Prat Speech (I've given it so often to Scorpius, Al and Louis that they practically know it by heart anyway). "So, all in all, I think you'd be better off getting her this."

Looking surprised, Scorpius followed my arm to see what I was pointing too. I could see the contradiction in his eyes before his mouth could formulate the words.

"No?" I asked him shrewdly.

He shook his head. "Too red," he said as he examined the garnet sprinkled bracelet I had suggested.

"A true Slytherin, then?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

Scorpius puffed out his chest in pride. "Of course. I only date the best."

"The best?" I asked, eyebrows raised, "Please. I've dated Slytherins, and none of them were the best snoggers-"

Scorpius opened his mouth to retaliate, but I cut him off. "Oh!" I gasped as I spotted a sparkling piece of jewellery over his shoulder. I walked over to it and lifted the shiny silver filigree off its stand. "You should get this for her, Scorpius. It's gorgeous," I said in an awestruck tone.

Scorpius took the necklace from my hands slowly, turning the piece over in his delicate white hands. "I suppose," he said hesitantly.

"Suppose?" I repeated dubiously, "It's perfect! Not too ornate, yet not boring. It's not too large or too small. Get it for her," I commanded.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the shop proprietor come over to us. "Can I help you?" he asked politely once he was within earshot.

"No, thank you," Scorpius replied stubbornly in the same tone as he had the previous two times the man had come over asking to assist us in our purchase.

I gave Scorpius a reproving look.

The clerk ignored his slightly impolite tone and instead focused on the item in Scorpius's hands.

"Oh a fine choice," he said excitedly as he took the fine chain from Scorpius's grasp. He held it up to the light so that the light green emeralds caught the torchlight and sparkled with twice as many shades as before. "I think the little miss here would quite enjoy this beauty," he said as he held it up to my neck.

I quickly shook my head as Scorpius smiled wryly. "No, it's for another girl."

The wizard looked a bit taken aback at this piece of news. "My apologies," he said quickly as he gave the necklace back to Scorpius.

"I'm sorry," I said, "But I've think we've got this all handled, don't we, Scorpius?" I turned to him.

He nodded.

Looking disappointed, the wizard walked off to attend to some other customers.

I reached over to run a finger over the artfully arranged cluster of emeralds. "Jade would love it," I insisted somewhat regretfully.

"I don't know." Scorpius tilted his head to look back at me. "Check the price, why don't you?"

I quickly bent my head over to examine the price tag located on its empty stand. "Never mind," I said quickly. "Forget it. It's forty galleons."

Scorpius protested, "Money isn't really a problem, Rose, you know that." Still, he repositioned it back on the shelf looking thoughtful.

I flushed. My father was naturally frugal, and coupled with his upbringing and the common sense inherited from my mother, I was usually very cautious in my purchases. Yes, I knew Scorpius had a considerable amount of pocket money to spend, but forty galleons? That was a bit much.

"I know that," I snapped irritably, "but why would you spend money like that on a girl you're going to dump before Valentine's Day? It's not worth it."

He paused and took in my argument.

"Plus, then you'll have more money to spend on her right before you break up." I walked over to a smaller display case in the back, saying over my shoulder, "I figure then you can fix her broken heart with something shiny."

He smiled sardonically at me as I ran my hands along a long chain of pearls. "You know me so well," he said with feeling.

I laughed. "Sometimes I think that I shouldn't encourage you. But then," I paused, turning to face him, "I reasoned that you have never listened to me in the past, would you start now?"

Scorpius smiled smugly. "Not a chance," he said casually as he crouched down to examine a couple of opal bracelets.

"How about these?" I proposed, holding up a pair of pearl earrings. "Right size, don't you think?"

Scorpius straightened up and walked over to where I was offering one of the earrings for his inspection. "You know, Rose," he said slowly, taking it from me and examining it closely, "I think you might be on to something."

"Fantastic," I said eagerly, and without further ado, I grabbed the matching choker lying innocently on its velvet plinth and hurried up to the cashier to get the jewellery packaged before Scorpius could find fault with it.

"Is this it?" the shopkeeper demanded, a little sullenly, in my opinion. "That'll be twenty-six galleons and eighteen sickles." He looked up over my shoulder where Scorpius was standing. Silently Scorpius handed over the money, tapping his foot impatiently as the wizard took time to count out each coin and hand over the change.

"Thank you!" I called once we were out in the street. I didn't get a reply, but the wizard flipped over the sign from **open **to **closed** once he had shut the door on our backs.

Scorpius smiled as we walked up the main street, clearly happy to be rid of the jewellery store once and for all.

I glanced at my watch and let out a gasp. I punched him in the arm.

"What the hell," he started angrily, but I interrupted him before he could get another word out.

"What the hell is right, Malfoy!" I hissed. "We were in that store for an hour and a half!"

He had the grace to look a bit sheepish as we made our way down High Street back to the castle.

"Sorry?" he said plaintively as we left Hogsmeade. "Er, would a thank you suffice?"

I harrumphed but gave him a reluctant smile. "Just don't let it happen again. I'm not wasting another of my Hogsmeade weekends on one of your airhead girlfriends!"

"They're not airheads!" he protested instantly.

I threw him a disbelieving look. "The last one asked me if it was true that you played professional Quidditch for England last year."

He smirked. "Well, that's a valid misconception."

"Not if you saw you're last Quidditch match against Gryffindor."

"Now you know your Chaser-"

I wagged my finger at him. "Don't be petty Malfoy, we won fair and square. It's not my fault that we are a better team than yours."

"You so are _not,_" he protested instantly. "Just because you lot have more brawn than brains... It _sometimes_ might allow you to get lucky-"

"Come on!" I exclaimed loudly. "It was more than just luck that allowed us to score those _twenty-nine _goals-"

"Rose Weasley, it was less than-"

"And did you just insinuate that my house has no brains, Malfoy?" I flared up as soon as I realized what his implications meant.

He turned his head and surveyed me with cool grey eyes, tossing his sleekff blond hair out of his eyes with a casual elegance. "That's exactly what I insinuated at, Wealsey," he replied smartly.

"Well, I-I-I-" I was too incensed to get my sentence out.

"You are what," he smirked at me, "Going to stutter at me until I admit the error of my Slytherin ways?"

I snorted delicately. "Well excuse me Mr. I-Couldn't-Speak-to-Girls-Without-Tripping-Over-my-Sentences-like-a-Demented-Troll-Untill-I-was-Thirteen."

"I have no recollection of anything of the sort," Scorpius said quickly, as he met my eyes, daring me to continue on my dangerous path.

Well, we Gryffindors never backed down from a dare. Call it a sense of honour. Or, you know, a house-wide risk-your-neck-for-every-perceived-insult complex, as Scorpius was always too eager to insert.

"Really?" I asked, faking surprise. "Because I can never forget that time you tried to ask out Dominique during that summer before fourth year. I think the whole ordeal lasted about half an hour before she took pity on you and put you out of your misery." I smiled sweetly at him.

I was delighted to notice his eyes narrowing in the dim light from the overhead lamps. Oh, Scorpius was very angry at me now, I'm sure of it.

"That's it, Weasley!" he exclaimed loudly as he lunged at me.

Of course, given his well honed Seeker arm, it was only a fraction of a second before he had grasped my wand sticking out of the pocket of my robes and had pointed it menacingly at my nose.

"Fancy a pumpkin for a head?" he taunted as he waved my wand about. "Because that's what's going to happen if you continue in this vein."

I crossed my arms across my chest and gave him a sly smile. "Empty threats, Malfoy," I scoffed. "I know you wouldn't be able to curse me."

"Why the hell not?" he demanded.

"Because then you'd have no one to cover for you when you ditch head duties to go snog some bird in a broom cupboard."

"Well," he paused, evidently thinking of some reply. After a few minutes he lowered my wand. "Fine," he admitted grumpily. "You're off the hook this time, but don't you dare mention that incident again." He sighed. "Bloody hell, I'm just glad Al doesn't remember."

I laughed. "At least James wasn't there."

Scorpius lifted his mouth into a small smile. "Merlin, your right."

"Aren't I always?"

"Shut it, I don't think we'll be able to make it through that next archway with our egos."

"You're one to talk. I don't think the whole castle can give you enough room for your overly large head."

"My head is perfectly shaped, thank you very much," retorted Scorpius. "But yours..." he drifted off to indicate my busy red hair.

"Are you seriously back to criticising my hair?" I asked.

"It never gets old," Scorpius said, chuckling slightly.

"It certainly has over the course of _seven years,_" I said heatedly. "Remember? That was the first thing you said on the train ride to me our first year."

"Good times, good times," Scorpius said happily, eyes drifting towards the skies as he remembered.

With his eyes otherwise occupied, I allowed myself to mimic the small smile that was creeping up the corners of his mouth. No way would I ever let on to his face that I actually enjoyed his joking insults. They, I don't know, made me feel special. In a very bizarre way, I will admit. He was usually so careful to refrain from offending anyone too badly, what with his family's legacy being what it was. The Malfoy name was hard one to live down, and Scorpius always bit his tongue against anything too cutting, lest he put his ruin all his family's worked for these past twenty-five years or so. However, he never bothered to be overly polite to me. I guess it's because I was just so open a target: a puny little eleven-year-old with wild red hair, big front teeth and an unreasonable obsession with books (never mind that he was only a few inches taller and the same age, for the regal Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy never let a little thing like _hypocrisy_ stop him before). At first it hurt, a lot, but I got used to it, held my head high and ignored him.

Later I stopped ignoring him and hexed him instead, once I knew how.

I know my dad was all for punching the little git in the mouth, but Mum somehow managed to get her hands on all his letters and proofread them before sending them off. That way all his violent suggestions for dealing with the 'Malfoy boy' were crossed out and replaced with more humane tactics in Mum's handwriting. Al found the whole mess quite amusing.

Needless to say, I did not.

I suppose my nearsighted cousin did have a few points during the whole debacle; he did offer to hit Malfoy with a Bat-Bogey hex he learned from his mum a couple of times when Scorpius was being especially hurtful.

Thankfully this whole changed during our third year and the following summer. That year we all got year-long partners in Potions. At least Scorpius and I weren't paired up; I think the dungeon would have suffered several violent explosions by the second week of term if we had. No, Scorpius was partnered with Al, of all people. The first month was rough, but somehow they emerged from the whole ordeal fast friends and Al even invited him over to his house in Godric's Hollow during the summer for a few weeks. Naturally, as Al's family and mine were neighbours, that meant I was forced to spend a great deal of time around Scorpius as well.

It was then that Scorpius told me that Al had suggested that we try to get along for his sake. I swear, only Al would try to come up with such a mad scheme as to get Scorpius Malfoy and Rose Weasley to be friendly. To our complete astonishment (minus Al, he swore that he believed we could do it all along, the liar) we all survived the summer with our limbs and sanity intact.

Just because we became tentative mates did not mean that Scorpius stopped teasing me, but it seemed to hurt less. I noticed for the first time that he had started to give me a small smile while making slight jabs at my hair or reading material to show that he really meant nothing by it, that it was all in jest.

Come September first that autumn, for the first time I had more than _Hogwarts a History_ to keep me company on the train ride to school. Of course I had other friends, but the previous three years I had claimed that I needed to give my textbooks a final skim and give my essays a final once over before term started. In boredom, they had all slunk out of my compartment and gossiped next door, every once in a while popping in to say hi.

That ride into my fourth year, however, Scorpius barged in and seated himself boldly across from me. Blithely ignoring my attempts to get his stubborn arse out of my compartment, he said, "I like your hair, Weasley."

I widened my eyes while immediately shooting him a sceptical glance over the pages of my textbook.

"Looks less like a bird's nest than usual."

Ah. The world made sense.

"Thanks a bunch, Malfoy," I drawled, as I returned my eyes to the pages in front of me. "You're such a gentleman, as always."

"I try," he said complacently as he propped his feet up on the seat next to me.

"And fail," I muttered quietly, hiding behind a revised chapter on the house-elves employed by Hogwarts.

I heard his brief splutter of indignation and barely had time to keep my face straight before my book was whipped unceremoniously out of my hands. "Hey!" I protested as Scorpius held it tauntingly just out of my reach.

"What did you say before?"

"Nothing," I denied, hopping to my feet and trying in vain to reclaim my property. "Give it back, you prat!"

"Come on, Wealsey, I couldn't hear you with that book glued to your freckled face. Now, I've got your attention. What did you say?" repeated Scorpius, smiling hugely, as he watched me try to wrest it from his grip.

An idea came to me. "That you're Merlin's gift to witches and I would like to snog you right now," I said suddenly.

The book abruptly dropped to the compartment floor with a loud thud.

Once again I had reduced Scorpius to incomprehensible splutters. Victory was so very sweet.

I grinned hugely as I bent down to pick up my poor book. "Aha!" I said as I stood up straight, clutching my prize to my chest.

"Hi guys!" a voice said brightly from the doorway. "What's going on?" Al said once he caught sight of me, jumping up and down from my success, and Scorpius with wide eyes and an open mouth.

I stopped hopping and Scorpius closed his mouth immediately.

"Nothing," we both said simultaneously.

Albus's emerald eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Really?"

"Yeah," I said, quickly dropping my textbook on the seat behind me.

"Nothing, mate," Scorpius repeated, running a hand through his blond hair. "Fancy a game of Exploding Snap?"

"Sure," Al agreed, still giving Scorpius and me funny looks.

We spent the rest of the ride playing various card games and debating Quidditch. I supported the Chudley Cannons and Al favoured the Holy Head Harpies (Every time he mentioned it Scorpius and I would snicker and mumble something along the lines of 'mama's boy' to which Al would blush furiously and sprout out random Harpies' statistics since 1923). Scorpius just liked whoever was currently winning.

True Slytherin to the core, that one.

"Rose? Rose Wealsey? Rosie Posey?" a voice called me out of my musings.

"What?"

Scorpius smirked at me. "You were kind of out of it there. What gives?" he asked, leading me through the Hogwarts gate.

"Is it so hard to consider that I don't especially like looking at your face every minute of every day?" I retorted automatically, but I linked my arm through his to show my goodwill.

"Absolutely," he responded instantly, "You'd be the first, you know," he nodded down at me as we walked up to the castle.

"Liar."

"No, actually most of the Hogwarts female population find my face very appealing actually," Scorpius reprimanded, "or so I've been told."

"And was this revealed to you in various cramped broom closets and empty classrooms?" I asked shrewdly.

Scorpius raised his eyebrows.

"Well then," I stood up a little straighter, "they're a bit biased, aren't they?"

He laughed. "I suppose."

"What are you doing over the holidays?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Nothing really," Scorpius said breezily, "I think I'll be around the Manor for a bit, and then maybe spend New Year's at the Potters."

"Really?" I asked, excitement bubbling in the pit of my stomach, "New Year's party and all that at Uncle Harry's?"

"Yes," Scorpius drawled, but evidently amused at my delight. "The same one I've come to for the past three years."

"I know that," I said, a tad irritated. "Only you would try to ruin my happiness at hearing good news."

"No," Scorpius said quickly, gesturing with his free hand for me to go on, "By all means be happy. It's quite refreshing actually," he said slowly, "to be with a bird that looks forward to my company at a party not because I can do fabulous things with my tongue even when totally smashed."

"Ew," I said expressively, rolling my eyes and making a face.

"You clearly have not talked with Jade, then."

"Or maybe I have and are totally disgusted with your drunken moves that I've heard so much about."

"Nope," he rejected calmly, "that's not it."

"Of course not," I said sarcastically as we reached the Great Hall. "For why would I be totally revolted at a description of your almost gag worthy snog moves while totally intoxicated? When, let me remind you, not only is your reaction time off, but your aim as well?" I gave him a smirk of my own.

Scorpius was spared from retorting back by a shout from behind us. "Scorp! Hey!" we turned to see Scorpius's current girlfriend Jade Li hurrying across the hall. "I was just heading down to dinner, want to accompany me?" she asked breathlessly.

I wasn't sure if it was from her near-sprint to meet us or Scorpius's very presence that made her short of breath. I hurriedly tried to wipe the smile off my features.

Scorpius let go of my arm gently and gave me a questioning look.

Please, I'm not his mother. As Scorpius liked to boast about so much, he was a seventeen-year-old male wizard, he didn't need my permission for anything. (Never mind that it made me secretly glad that he valued my opinion so highly.) Still, I gave him a small nod to let him know that I was going to be alright if he ditched me for his girlfriend. This wouldn't be the first time, after all.

"Hi Wealsey," said Jade a little reluctantly after Scorpius failed to give a verbal answer to her question. It was common knowledge that the grand majority of Scorpius's many girlfriends all hated me; they seemed to see me as some sort of romantic rival in Scorpius's affections, or so he told me. Usually I just laughed it off because really the whole idea of me ranking against them is ludicrous.

I'm not bragging when I say that they couldn't hold a candle to my conversational skills; I'm relatively sure some couldn't even string a coherent sentence together most of the time Scorpius was around – of course their inability to talk never deterred him from sticking his tongue down their throats.

Once Scorpius had seen my acceptance, he took Jade by the hand and led her into the Great Hall saying over his shoulder, "See you later for Head duties, Rose!"

I watched them go. They contrasted nicely, I supposed. He was tall and blond with fair, almost albino white, skin. She was much darker with midnight coloured hair. Shorter than his normal girlfriends, Jade was almost my height. Still he easily was able to throw his arm over her shoulders possessively. Two beautiful people, indeed.

Life was just so unfair

I was the one who explained the mad things us girls do. I was the one who told him what to say when asking a girl out and what to say when chucking her in the kindest way possible. I was the one who solved all his girl problems.

I was his mate Rose who just happened by some weird happenstance of nature to have some secret insight into the workings of the female mind.

That was all I was to him: frizzy haired, library book Nazi, Rose.

And I was happy with that.

I thought.

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A/N: Please review!

**I urge you to favourite only with reviewing first. I personally choose stories to read based on how many reviews they've got and I'm sure other people do the same. If you liked my fic enough to favourite it, please, **_**please, **_**review so that others will know to read it in the first place!**


	2. Satisfaction

"ROSIE! Get your arse down here now!"

"Hugo!" I heard my mother's voice scold loudly, "Language, please!"

"But Dad says-"

Rolling over in my bed, I heard Dad's indignant pleas to keep him out of the fight. Smiling to myself, I let out a yawn and slowly made my way over to my dressing table in the far corner of my room. I figured Hugo owed me. He could wait for a few moments longer while I made myself presentable.

Merlin, I loved making Hugo wait for things. Particularly eagerly awaited present-shaped things on Christmas morning.

Plus I was still a bit annoyed at him for flicking bits of parchment at my hair the last Thursday of term... and then attaching them with a permanent sticking charm. Of course Scorpius and Al wouldn't tell me until _last period,_ preferring to snigger quietly behind their hands during transfiguration and later during double potions.

I suppose I could have caught on; after all Scorpius had was bit more liberal in his daily dose of hair insults, but I just figured he was revelling in the no-more-classes-in-two-days atmosphere and that was his way of letting off some frustration at being still stuck in the castle. How was I to know he actually had a legitimate reason to make fun of me?

Satisfied that my hair wasn't a total mess and all the sleep had been removed from my eyes, I decided on a grand entrance downstairs. Turning on the spot and aiming for my usual cushion on the large sofa in the living room, I Apparated.

"Oi!"

Oops. I guess I misjudged it a teeny bit.

Clambering off Hugo's legs, I said cheerfully, "Sorry there, Hughie."

Hugo scowled as he twitched his legs further away from my clearly harmful vicinity.

I looked over at my parents seated next to each other on the other sofa across from ours. Mum was laughing quietly to herself while Dad hesitated slightly before giving me sad sort of smile.

"I keep forgetting you can do that," he said, glancing over at Mum. "You see that Hermione? Our Rosie's finally grown up." He mimed wiping away a fake tear.

"Dad!" I whined, "I thought the crying had ended at my last birthday party!"

"I was not crying," Dad said quickly, shooting a disapproving glance at Mum who had started to cough rather loudly. "I had allergies, Rose."

"Please," I said, waving his comment off, "No one has allergies in_ January._"

Mum was still snorting with laughter at his side.

"Ron, if you have new allergies, I should know about them," she inserted, a wicked glint in her eye. "Enlighten us as to what particularly ailed you during Rosie's party so that I can see a healer straight away in case it comes back next season."

Dad shot her a nasty look before saying huffily, "Knock it off, Hermione. Hey Hugo, how about we start on those presents, now that your sister has finally decided to show?"

Sufficiently distracted, Hugo and I fell upon our usual Christmas haul, as Mum and Dad watched from their position on the sofa.

It was smaller than usual this year; I suppose that Al and the rest of the Potters were saving their gifts for when we would eat dinner later at their house.

From Mum I recieved several new books, a healthy mixture of wizarding novels and reference books for school and from Dad, a new set of quills and a large assortment of various sweets. Hugo was kind enough to spare some of his pocket money on a few skeins of yarn and a new pair of knitting needles for me while Uncle George sent me a couple of his Wonder Witch products.

"Bloody hell no!" Dad said, as he confiscated Uncle George's gifts.

"Ron!" Mum scolded, "Give those back, I'm sure they're harmless."

"Since when has George ever meant no harm, Hermione?" Dad retorted, holding up a suspicious jar at eye level and examining it very closely. "You never know what's hidden in one of his things."

"You're being ridiculous," Mum sighed.

"No, I'm not," maintained Dad stubbornly, "You didn't live with him for nine years. Expect the unexpected, when it comes to your uncle," he said wisely, directing his words to Hugo.

I suppose they were for me as well, but I was too incensed for them to register. "Dad," I complained, "Give it back. You're being totally unfair!"

"Ron, you have no need for that handbook on how to bewitch _wizards_." Mum raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest. "Or do you?"

Dad dropped the book he had just picked up as if it were a hot potato. "B-bloody hell no, Hermione!" he stuttered out.

"Good. I daresay Rose will find uses for it, give it to her."

"But Hermione-"

"No buts, Ron. I'm sure Rose can handle herself and be responsible with whatever products George sent her."

I nodded vigorously.

Reluctantly Dad deposited my gifts back to me.

After a moment I saw Mum jab him hard in the ribs with her elbow. "Sorry, there Rosie," Dad muttered apologetically, rolling his eyes at Mum. "Got a bit carried away there."

"No problem, Dad," I said as I shook out Grandma Wealsey's knitted lavender sweater with a silver R emblazoned on the chest.

After that little incident, the rest of the morning passed quite smoothly.

I mean, except for the fact when Hugo, in a burst of holiday cheer, set off Uncle George's newest fireworks set _inside the house_. As we all watched with horror-struck expressions (not counting Dad, who was laughing uproariously, and Hugo, who looked more excited than anything else) one of the particularly bright ones drifted quite close to the Christmas tree and set the whole thing ablaze.

At this Dad looked more amused than ever and continued to laugh, while Mum cast an aguamenti charm to douse the flames and tried to keep her smile hidden from the rest of us.

So, apart from that, the start of Christmas Day was quite uneventful (and by Al's standards, that _would_ be an uneventful morning at the Potter's).

It was just as Hugo gingerly thumbed through his new homework planner that I realised one present was missing.

Feeling an emotion quite the opposite of the happiness that had diffused through the house, I ruffled furiously through the mounds of wrapping paper that covered the majority of the floor. With a sinking heart, I realised that it wasn't there.

He hadn't sent me anything.

He didn't bother to get me a bloody Christmas present.

Scorpius, with all of the millions of galleons at his disposal, didn't feel generous enough to even send over a card.

The bastard.

Unexplainable dejection made its way slowly through my body as I continued to scan the room with an increasing feeling of hopelessness. I heaved an enormous sigh and swallowed. Abruptly a burning desire to leave the room engulfed me. Grabbing the nearest book, I jumped up from where I was sitting on the floor. "I'll be reading this in my room," I explained over my shoulder as I bolted up the stairs and into my room.

Flopping down on my bed, I dropped my excuse for my escape on the floor and hugged my pillow to my chest instead.

Why was I so disappointed?

It wasn't like my life depended on getting a present from Scorpius. In fact, I was almost positive that it would continue on.

So why was there a niggling thought in the back of mind that it wouldn't?

Squeezing my eyes shut, I sat up and tried to think more clearly.

I was feeling so miserable because I just wanted for him to give some sign that he appreciated my friendship. That it meant _something_ to him. That he liked having me around to joke with, to share Heads duties with. That was all.

I banged my head on the wall behind me, trying to knock some sense into it because I could tell where my thoughts were going and I didn't like it. No, not one bit. Bloody hell, it wasn't like my whole emotional wellbeing revolved around Scorpius Malfoy. I could go back down and be perfectly normal and happy with my family with or without a present from him.

In fact, I'll go back downstairs right this minute.

... Any day now would be great, actually.

I lay back down on my bed and gave a frustrated groan that I muffled into my pillow.

I mean, I knew that Scorpius was never one for his thoughtfulness in the female department. Usually that part of his relationship was usually taken care of by me, but passed on as his own inventing. I didn't mind. His complete incompetence with the ladies was actually quite endearing. I was just upset that he forgot. There was no other possible reason why I dually wanted to hex him into the next century and snog him in the nearest empty room to jog his memory.

I abruptly unstuck my face from my pillow. Clearly the lack of oxygen was causing my brain to malfunction. Did I just picture me and Scorpius snogging?

Merlin, did I actually want it to happen?

On second thought, no oxygen seemed like a very good idea. Smashing good timing. I haven't had a single bright idea in the past quarter of an hour.

While mashing my face once again into my pillow, I was disappointed to find that I could still think quite clearly, at least for the time being.

I couldn't fancy Scorpius Malfoy. I just couldn't. He was mean... insulting... and blond. Ugh. That list was just pathetic.

Of course he was only mean to people who make criticise his family, and that sort of loyalty is good in a bloke anyway.

I actually liked his insults; they made me feel secretly happy.

Did I seriously consider 'blond' a negative quality?

Sighing again, I crossed my arms over my pillow and rested my chin on my wrists. Bloody hell, this couldn't be good. No I didn't fancy Scorpius Malfoy. I had a purely platonic relationship with him. We were just friends. And he was perfectly fine with that.

Well, clearly less than fine if he didn't give you a present on the most present-worthy day of the year, a nasty voice in the back of my mind interjected.

Of course. That's why I'm moping up here like a total lovesick twat, after all, I thought disgustedly. I grimaced and squeezed my eyes shut.

Lovesick.

That's what I was. Now it made sense. Okay, just because I was lovesick did _not_ mean that I fancied Scorpius Malfoy. I mean, I even helped him shop for a Christmas present for his girlfriend.

Girlfriend. Suddenly I was seized by a mad desire to hurl. Or strangle Jade Li. Whichever presented the most gratification.

Frankly, I always wondered how long it would take to strangle someone with their green and silver school scarf (before the subject was Scorpius Malfoy himself, believe it or not). I could just picture her eyes rolling, spluttering for breath as I laughed some maniacal guffaws with wild red hair frizzing into a halo around my face. But then, Scorpius would then hate me for murdering his girlfriend in cold blood and never speak to me again. My being in Azkaban and all did present some relationship problems, I guessed. Drat. And I was so looking forward to it.

So just because I was devastated that he didn't get me a gift and had fantasies about choking his girlfriend didn't necessarily mean that I fancied him. Right?

Somehow it seemed like I was fighting a losing battle. Actually, getting massacred in a losing battle is probably more accurate, I thought disgustedly.

Fifteen minutes later a shout interrupted me from my musings, "Rosie! Come down, Al's here!"

"Coming!" I shouted, hopping off my bed and hopefully leaving my beyond confusing thoughts about Scorpius behind. Hurtling down the stairs, I beheld the comforting image of my less-confusing other best mate standing in the doorway of my house.

"Hey Al!" I said excitedly as I leaned in to hug him. "Happy Christmas."

"Er, yeah," Al said once he disentangled himself from my arms. "Happy Christmas, Rosie."

"So, what brings you over here?" I asked as I invited him into the kitchen.

Al grimaced as he sat down at the kitchen table. "Lily's boyfriend broke up with her yesterday, so she's all upset and James thought the most pragmatic approach to the problem would be to make as much noise as possible to distract her."

I sighed sympathetically. "What'd it actually do?"

Al grinned. "Got him grounded for the rest of his holiday break from Romania."

"Aunt Ginny knows he's of age, right? She doesn't really have any legal authority over him anymore." I turned around and started gathering the necessary ingredients for hot chocolate.

Al raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? I invite you to tell Mum that."

"True," I laughed.

Al scratched his head. "As soon as Mum got into the finer points of her disciplinary speech Lily joined in and with the both of them yelling at poor-"

I snorted.

"-James," Al continued, smiling slightly, "I realised I better make a quick getaway before they rounded on me for some simple crime of, I dunno, breathing too loudly or something similar."

"Smart move."

"I do have my moments now that you mention it," Al said proudly. "Accio spoons," he commanded, pointing his wand at the silverware drawer.

I watched two spoons slowly pry their way out of the drawer and then sail over to us, one of them smacking Al in the chest and making him grunt in pain.

I laughed. "You certainly have your moments," I paused, "Need a bit of work on your aim there, eh coz?"

"Shut it," Al muttered, picking up the spoon from his lap and sticking it in his cup.

"So what's Uncle Harry doing this fine Christmas morning? What with his children generally running amok in his house and his wife in a furious temper?" I asked, dipping my spoon into my steaming mug of hot chocolate experimentally.

"I think Dad was trying to placate Mum as I left. Didn't really want to stick around to find out."

I nodded.

"Nice jersey," I commented, as I noticed just what Al was wearing. "What's written on the back?"

Al blushed. "It's nothing," he said quickly, taking a huge gulp of his drink. He choked slightly as the hot liquid scalded his throat, gasping out, "So what's up with you Rose?" in an attempt to change the subject.

I got up and walked around to the back of his chair to pound him on the back. "Are those signatures?" I whispered, as I had a better look at his shirt.

Al twisted around in his chair so that most of the autographs were too warped to read. Looking at me, he raised his arms hopelessly.

Because I knew only one person who would have the connections to get a jersey signed by the entire English National Quidditch team. Only one person who was charming enough to wrangle an autograph from even the surliest Quidditch player. Only one person who was rich enough to get himself a private meeting with the entire team after the Quidditch World Cup in South Africa last year.

"I hope you send Scorpius a thank you card," I said in a hard voice, walking back around the table and dropping myself into my vacated chair. "It's a thoughtful present, I'll admit."

"Look Rose," Al started, guilt written all over his features.

My mouth fell open as I realised that Al must've known about whatever shit Scorpius had pulled this holiday season. It was written as plain as day over his face. "You knew he didn't get me anything?" I screeched.

"Merlin, Rose," Al said, wincing slightly at the volume of my voice. "I think there are a couple of people across the Channel who didn't hear you, why don't you try that again?"

"Oh don't you _dare_ make a joke out of this, Albus Severus," I snarled, as I got up from my chair once again to pace around the kitchen.

"Come on," Al said calmly, his eyes following my every move warily, "Aren't you overreacting just a tad?"

I paused.

Of course I was. I was behaving like a petulant five-year-old in a temper tantrum because she didn't get enough presents for her birthday. I sighed and let the anger slowly seep out of me. "Sorry for almost cursing your head off," I apologised after a beat.

"S'okay," Al said, rolling his eyes at my antics. "You have every right to be a bit mad."

"It's just," I stopped, afraid of voicing my thoughts aloud, "I've been thinking, and do you think Scorpius likes being my mate? Because, I can take a hint. I'll back off and stop hanging around with him, if that's what he wants."

Al looked at me, aghast. "Of course he likes being friends with you, Rosie."

"But we fight all the time..."

"So?" Al said, taking another tentative sip of his hot chocolate, "It's not like it bothered you before." He gave me a calculating glance.

Well that was before I realised that I _might_ fancy the bloke, after all. I mean, what were the chances that Scorpius would fancy a girl who argued with him all the time? It was bad enough that my hair never did what I wanted it to, that I've actually voiced aloud the thought that I should just make the library my second home and be done with it, that my legs weren't long and that I blushed scarlet I'm embarrassed. Did that sound like an attractive group of qualities?

No, I didn't think so.

The whole arguing thing we had going on since first year simply topped the cake, I reckoned. In fact, Scorpius probably kept me around as a friend because he knew he would never be in danger of falling for me. I wouldn't be a distraction for his real girlfriends.

"You okay?" Al said, his voice pulling me out of my rather dismal thoughts.

"Yeah," I said, placing both hands around my cup of hot chocolate, which by now was only lukewarm.

"You looked kind of sad," Al noticed shrewdly, examining my face closely.

"I'm not," I said instantly.

"Sure," Al muttered in a disbelieving tone. "Look, I've have to go to the loo; I trust that you won't drown yourself in your drink while I'm gone?"

I smiled. "Go, before you piss yourself."

"Merlin, where's your Christmas spirit, Rose? Isn't it supposed to be about appreciating family and all that codswallop?" Al asked as he got up, grinning at me.

"No," I said, "It's about recounting embarrassing stories at Christmas dinner while little Weasleys and Potters toss dinner rolls at James's head when the adults pretend not to notice."

Al snorted. "Well. That just about sums it up." With that, he disappeared out the room.

He had been gone two minutes when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" I called when I heard no footsteps running toward the door.

I poked my head into the living room. It was completely devoid of any Weasleys. I paused a moment, hearing sounds in the backyard. I guess that Hugo must've taken the rest of the fireworks out there to test them out with Dad.

Not wanting to stand with the cold air rushing in, I quickly opened the door to usher the person inside.

After I saw who was waiting on the other side I was tempted to slam it in his face just as fast and let him freeze for a bit.

My hand twitched on the knob.

"Hi Rose," Scorpius Malfoy said nervously.

I ignored him. Instead, I called over my shoulder, "Al! Scorpius is here!"

Silence.

Damn Al and his bloody inopportune deafness!

"Can I come in?" asked Scorpius after a moment.

I paused, considering how to deal with the situation.

On one hand, I could say no and then slam the door...But that would be immature. Really immature. Like, only pardonable in James immature. Not at all respectable behaviour for such a mature witch like myself. But it would be so bloody satisfying...

On the other, I could say yes and then jump him once he was looking the other way. That was also an equally satisfying prospect.

Instead I settled for being coldly indifferent. "Sure," I said tonelessly, as I walked away into the kitchen and left him on the doorstep.

Well that wasn't satisfying in the _least_.

**

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**

A/N: Sorry, another author's note here to thank my anonymous reviewers from last chapter because I can't send you guys thank you notes. Thanks!

**I hope I didn't rush Rosie's little revelation, I just don't want another epic story of 30,000 words with a timeline that consists of 3 bloody days on my hands (for more information see Dear J, with love L - my first fic that now resembles a bloated hippopotamus in terms of how fast it moves along, even with my muse pushing and shoving with all her might). Well, it's not like you guys couldn't see this one coming from a mile away, anyway. Right?**


	3. Chocolate

**A/N: Whoot! Another chapter. Check back next Saturday for another one.**

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"So Al's here?" Scorpius asked, following me into the kitchen.

"Yeah," I muttered as I unattractively threw myself into the nearest chair. "He's in the loo. Feel free to go get him if you like."

"Nah," Scorpius chuckled. "Wouldn't want to bother him." He sat down on the seat opposite me. I observed with contempt that he was just as graceful in his movements as I was careless in mine.

I tried to refrain myself from staring. Instead I pulled my tepid hot chocolate closer to my side of the table and tried to find something interesting in brown depths of my drink to focus on.

I found none.

"So, how's your Christmas so far?" asked Scorpius.

I jerked my head up to stare into his cool grey eyes. "Fine," I replied shortly.

There was silence. He obviously expected me to continue, but I was not going to indulge him. I had a total right to be surly, after all. Bloody wanker should just take Al and be gone.

"What did you get?" Scorpius pressed, getting up to pour himself some hot chocolate as well.

"Books," I said tonelessly.

Scorpius frowned as he sat back down. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and heated up his hot chocolate with a single tap to the cup rim. "Anything interesting?"

"Yeah."

Another pause. "Merlin, Rose, are you going to make me get out the thumbscrews or something?" he burst out suddenly, rolling his eyes. "I might as well be having a conversation with a flobberworm, for all the information I'm getting."

"You'd better check on Al; he must have fallen in, or something," I said coldly, going back to contemplating my now very cold drink.

"With brains like his I wouldn't put it past him," Scorpius said scornfully. "Back to the point, carry on like this Rose, and I won't give you your present."

I jerked my head up to meet his cool grey eyes. Quick say something! Use those famous Granger brains! Something witty, something memorable -

"Uh," I said in my wild burst of inspiration.

Merlin, I was pathetic.

Scorpius smirked as he raised his mug to his lips. "A little tongue tied, aren't we Rosie Posie?" he said languidly before he took a sip.

It was the accursed nickname that did it. "I am not tongue tied," I denied forcefully, "It's just that I was pondering your complete ineptitude. There's so much of it, you see, that it took a while. Did you just resort to _bribing_ me into talking to you?"

"Is it working?"

I blushed. Damn Weasley genes. "Maybe," I said slowly, inwardly wincing at my openly flirtatious tone.

Thankfully Scorpius seemed not to notice. "Then yes," he said confidently.

"Well?"

"Well what?" he drawled with an awful knowing expression.

"Well, hand it over!" I demanded, smiling for the first time since he arrived.

"You forgot the magic word," he said in a horribly condescending tone, leaning forward in his chair to watch me comply.

I snorted. "Avada kedavra?" I hedged.

"That's two words," he pointed out smugly.

Damn bastard knew he had the upper hand.

"That's not quite it," continued Scorpius as he smirked at me.

"Scorpius?" I asked in a falsely sweet tone, reaching my arm out and tracing the side of his jaw with my index finger. "Can I have it?" I whispered, completely ignoring the tingles and rush of excitement that spread out from my hand to settle somewhere in the pit of my stomach.

Suddenly I saw some glint of emotion behind his usually calm facade. I could swear his eyes almost softened as he looked at me.

Abruptly the glimmer vanished, to be replaced with a mischievous smile. I gulped. Maybe I had just imagined it. He was surely up to something.

"I don't know, Rose," he responded huskily, reaching up and cupping his hand around mine. "You were awfully short with me earlier. It's just not something a bloke like me can forget."

Damn. He wasn't backing out. He was trying to beat me at my own game!

I let my eyes flicker away from his for a moment, trying to gather my wits. No way was I going to let him know that he got to me. I just had to breathe, not look into his eyes and focus all my will on not melting into a puddle right in front of him. I could do this. I could do this.

Blinking slowly, I leaned in even closer. "But Scorpius," I simpered, "I was just sulking because you seemed to have forgotten all about little old me. Can't blame a girl for becoming clinically depressed and damn near suicidal if you didn't deem her worthy enough to remember."

"But still," he said tilting his head further into my palm still resting on his cheek, "I was only testing you. I love little _games_ like that. I just hope it was _hard_ enough for you. I know how you like to always end up _on top_ of everything," he said, his voice stressing and gliding over his words in such a way as to bring out the absolute worst innuendo imaginable. Undoubtedly he was aiming to disgust me into chickening out. Too bad it was entirely wasted since just about every illicit scene his voice conjured up had my insides writhing with pleasure.

"Did I pass?" I whispered breathlessly, running my fingers along the nearly invisible stubble lining his jaw.

His stormy grey eyes darted up to mine and I had to force myself to not look away.

Merlin, I think I was just _Confunded_.

"I'm not sure," Scorpius murmured softly, rubbing his Quidditch calloused hand against mine.

Suddenly we jumped apart as we heard running footsteps. Al's bespectacled face appeared around the corner, followed by the rest of him.

"Hey Scorpius!" he greeted enthusiastically as soon as he saw the new addition to the Weasley's kitchen, "How are-" He broke off, looking from my guilty face to Scorpius's shifting eyes.

"Good, mate," Scorpius responded to Al's unfinished question. "How're the holidays treating you?"

Al shot another suspicious glance in my direction, but I blithely ignored him. Turning to Scorpius, he said, "Good."

"And James?"

Al grinned. "Bad."

Scorpius grinned right back. "I take it that's why you're over here at the nearest Weasley home for shelter?"

"Yeah. Him, Mum and Lily are having a row again."

We turned at the sound of the doorbell. Again, I waited a moment before getting up. "I'll be right back," I called to Al and Scorpius as I exited the kitchen.

I heard more shouts of laughter from the backyard as I made my way to answer the door for the second time that day. "Door!" I called to no one in particular.

I sighed as no one answered.

Marching up to the door, I pulled it open and smiled as I saw who was waiting on the other side. "Uncle Harry!" I burst out as I recognized Al's dad standing outside in the cold. "Happy Christmas!"

"Hey Rosie!" replied Uncle Harry with a smile. "Happy Christmas to you too."

"Come in, come in," I ushered him inside.

Once done stamping his snowy feet on the doormat, Uncle Harry turned to me and walked into the house. "Have you seen my youngest son? He seems to have fled the scene back home," he said sheepishly.

I laughed as I closed the door behind him. "He's in the kitchen."

Uncle Harry sighed. "Good. Ginny sent me over to bring him back home," he explained as he hung up his coat next to the door.

I sent him a questioning look. "Then why do you look like you're planning on staying while?"

"Ehh," evaded Uncle Harry, "I want to give her a little time to cool down. I figure I can blame the hold up on Ron," he explained. "Ginny loves me more than him, so it'll be alright."

"Oi, mate!" I heard Dad shout right before the unmistakable sound of the backdoor slamming. "She does not!" Dad insisted as he rounded the corner.

"Ron!" a shout came from upstairs followed by footsteps. "Didn't I tell you to keep it d-Harry!" Mum emerged from the upstairs and smiled as she caught sight of her friend in the doorway.

I discreetly made my way back to the kitchen and away from the older generation of Potters and Weasleys.

Walking slowly into the room, I heard hushed voices arguing animatedly.

"I know, I know," Scorpius was saying. "It was a stupid idea, I just thought..."

"Thought what?" Al asked heatedly, "Look mate, I know you've had a lot of experience with girls, but I _told_ you it would be impossible to distinguish her reaction!"

"Yeah, I know that _now_, Al," Scorpius said sourly.

"So bloody confident in everything," Al muttered. "Good to keep you humble."

"Humble is a foreign word to a Slytherin like me."

"Of course it is," Al sighed, "Just, don't mess with her again, okay? She's going to see through your tricks one of these days, and then you'll be sorry."

"Won't matter if I manage to get her in the end."

I felt my stomach clench uncomfortably. Of course. They were discussing some girl Scorpius planned to ask out. Tired of Jade already, you perfect wanker? I scowled to myself.

"What if she's too pissed at you to take in anything you're saying?"

"Then I'll snog her. I've never known a girl to be pissed after a good snog."

He had a point. Merlin knows if Scorpius had just up and snogged _me_ this morning I wouldn't have been nearly as pissed at him.

"But wouldn't Rose-"

Yes Al! Just what would Rose think about all of this?

"Rose won't care."

That was an understatement. Scratch that. That was flat out _wrong_.

I decided to interrupt their conversation at that point. I didn't think I could stand another word of how much Scorpius was pining for this new bird. It already felt like my heart was popping out of my chest; I didn't really want to suddenly find it skidding all over the floor.

"Onto a new girl already, Scorpius?" I asked as I walked into the room. "All over Jade?"

One look at who intruded upon their conversation and Al turned bright red. Scorpius blanched, but kept his relaxed posture.

"How long were you listening for?" Scorpius hedged carefully after a moment.

"Long enough," I retorted, taking the chair across from him.

"We were just talking about, er," Al broke off with a questioning glance at his best mate.

"About the next girl I wanted to shag," Scorpius finished casually.

It seemed like Albus gagged on air. Glowing a brilliant red again, he shot a nasty look at Scorpius.

As much as I hated the idea, I had to force myself to not overreact, not to not give my whole I-fancy-the-pants-off-you-in-a-not-quite-figurative-way-if-you-know-what-I-mean feelings away to Scorpius, and to act normal.

"Since when did you become such a prude?" I asked, turning to Al with a curious expression.

I ignored the inquisitive stare Scorpius was giving me.

"I'm not!" said Al defensively.

"Really?"

"Really," repeated Al.

Suddenly we all turned as we heard footsteps right outside the door. It slowly opened to reveal my parents and Al's dad.

"Hey son," said Uncle Harry once he caught sight of Al.

"Dad?" Al asked, looking relieved for the interruption.

"Mum wants you to come home."

Al looked at him shrewdly. "Do you think it'd be a good idea if I went home?"

"Truthfully?" asked Uncle Harry, fiddling with his glasses. "No."

"Uncle Harry, why don't you and Dad check out Hugo's fireworks? I think you interrupted the two of them earlier," I commented from my seat.

"Merlin! I forgot about him!" Dad groaned as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Ron! You left your own son in the backyard without a word?" Mum asked in an exasperated voice.

"You say it like that's a bad thing, Hermione."

"Because it _is,_" Mum said, annoyed.

"I side with Hermione on this one, mate," Uncle Harry said, clapping Dad on the shoulder. "Come on, I'll give Al another ten minutes with Rose and Scorpius. Let's go see if we can set something on fire," he said, casting an apologetic glance at Mum.

She rolled her eyes, but let them go without a word.

Looking considerably more cheerful, Dad pulled Uncle Harry out of the room.

"Nice seeing you Al, Scorpius," Mum said before she left, sparing us each a smile. "Be sure to clean up after them, Rose, won't you?"

"Sure, Mum," I said exasperatedly.

She followed Dad and Uncle Harry out of the room, shouting "I heard that! Don't you_ dare_ set another gnome on fire Ron Weasley!"

Scorpius laughed. "Your dad actually set a gnome on fire?" he asked once Mum was out of earshot.

I sighed and nodded. "It was an accident a couple of years ago. Hugo had a mad idea to try to camp out in the backyard when he was ten or so. Dad, with all his so-called experience with camping, thought he would he should lend a hand. Let me tell you," I said leaning in, "The last time Dad ever camped out was when he was eighteen." I snorted and shook my head. "He had no idea what the hell he was doing this time around. Anyway, they were trying to start a campfire and Hugo was messing around with the flint and everything for quite some time when Dad thought he would subtly give him a hand."

Al laughed loudly. "Uncle Ron, subtle?" he said between chuckles.

Scorpius grinned, knowing what he did about my Dad.

I shook my head sadly. "Anyway, he was just about to conjure a flame when Hugo caught him with his wand out. He tried to hide it behind his back, but the spell had already been cast. It went off without any aim and managed to hit a stray gnome."

Al burst out into a fresh wave of guffaws.

I put my elbows on the table as I leaned close to them. "It wasn't harmed – you know, it was one of those blue fires that doesn't burn? – but apparently the gnome went shrieking away into the night, banging into things all around the yard for fifteen minutes before Dad could douse it with water."

"Auror Weasley, with his ten years of experience with Dark wizards, couldn't catch a runaway gnome in fifteen minutes?" Scorpius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Three actually, I think he spent twelve minutes of that time laughing his arse off at the gnome with Hugo."

"Ah."

"All adds up now, doesn't it?" I said with a smile.

"No, not really," Scorpius admitted, "Wouldn't Hugo have noticed that a normal fire isn't usually _blue?_"

"You know Uncle Ron, not thinking ahead of acting is one of his most honed talents," Al interjected fairly.

"True," I acknowledged. "That and putting his foot in his mouth."

Scorpius took another sip of his hot chocolate.

"So, get anything good this year?" Al asked, directing his gaze to his best mate next to him.

"I guess," Scorpius said slowly.

"Aw come on, Scorpius," I encouraged, "What'd you find hidden under the tree?"

"Coal?" Al guessed.

Scorpius scowled and hit him over the head.

"Merlin! Ow!"

"Don't yelp like that Al, he barely hit you," I chided. "Plus your head's so thick, you probably couldn't feel it."

"I did feel it!" Al said hotly. "And I'm not thick!"

"Sure," Scorpius said sarcastically, surveying Al with his cool grey eyes. "And that T you just got on your Potions assignment was just a slip of the quill."

"Come on, you know Slughorn's got it in for me, ever since I said I hated crystallized pineapple!"

"And that, coz, is precisely why you're so thick," I told him smartly.

"Never insult Slughorn's favourite food in front of him," Scorpius advised.

Al sniggered. "At least I don't have to go to his parties anymore. Instead I get to listen to the delightful sounds of you two complaining about Slughorn every Thursday evening while I laugh at your predicament."

"They're not that bad," Scorpius said slowly.

I raised my eyebrows. "This is coming from the man who has been complaining to me about Slughorn's lack of personal space for the past three years?"

Al laughed. "He does have a point, Rosie. Did you see him all up on Geraldine McClaggen during Potions last Thursday? I thought she going to hurl all over his emerald waistcoat, she looked so disgusted."

Scorpius smirked. "No, I mean, I get to spend quality time with Rose here," he said, throwing me a genuine smile.

Um, what? I was momentarily dumbfounded. Could he...?

"So I get to make fun of the middle Potter without any asinine interference."

Oh. Right. Make fun of Al. With Scorpius.

I rolled my eyes at Al's murderous expression. "You do not," he said, glaring at us all.

"Sure we do," Scorpius said, nodding at me, "You know, Taylor just _loves_ the story about you in your nappies when you stole Mr. Potter's wand and went to seek revenge on your brother because he stole your stuffed hippogriff. You know, the one James told me, when you ended up-"

"You speak one more word, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, and you'll wish you'd never been born!" Al said threateningly, pointing his finger at Scorpius.

Scorpius merely laughed.

"Al," I said, tapping him on the arm.

He spared me the barest of glimpses before returning to glare at Scorpius in full force, green eyes flashing dangerously.

"Al," I repeated, in an exasperated voice, "Merlin, you're being ridiculous. Of course I wouldn't let him tell Vivien Taylor that story."

"As if you could stop me," Scorpius said derisively.

"I totally could!"

Al laughed. "You could," he agreed, with a knowing glance at Scorpius.

Al smiled as Scorpius scowled. He knew we had him beat. Served him right for provoking Al like that! Al was easily the calmest of the Weasley relatives – with maybe the exception of Lucy. I think the only people who could truly rile him up would be Scorpius, his best mate, and James, his older brother. Of course it was James's job to be a total and complete pain in the arse to everyone around him, with maybe the exception of his long time girlfriend Bianca. Scorpius, however, didn't have to be a prat, but generally was one anyway. At least, around Al and myself.

We all turned as we heard someone approaching the kitchen. "Al?" asked Uncle Harry as he entered the room, "We've got to be going. I'm in too much trouble from your mother already. See you for dinner Rose," he said, smiling at me as he walked over to stand next to the table. "You're coming over later, aren't you Scorpius?" he asked, turning to glance at the blond next to me.

"Of course Mr. Potter, wouldn't miss it for the world," said Scorpius.

"Great," muttered Uncle Harry distractedly as he ushered Al out of the room. "Hurry up Al, Uncle Ron kept me much longer than I planned."

They left without further ado. I heard the door slam and before I knew it, I was alone with Scorpius in the kitchen. Immediately I turned a bright Weasley red. Suddenly my thoughts were entirely of Scorpius throwing me down on this kitchen table and ravish-

Bugger.

I shook out my hair and let if fall in front of my face to distract a bit from the outrageous blush that was slowly spreading across my cheeks. I pulled my now cold hot chocolate to me and cradled it in my hands.

"So is this what you usually look like in the morning or has your hair taken a turn for the worse permanently?" Scorpius asked, breaking the silence, "If so, I suggest you put a paper bag on your head to stop frightening little children when you go out in public."

"This coming from the big bad Malfoy boy with freaky albino skin?" I said, eyebrows raised. Go on, Malfoy, I thought, insult me. Keep things normal and distract me with petty insults so I can't imagine what it would be like to leap over this table and-

"I'm _pale_. That's natural. Other people are pale. But your hair..." He looked at me critically. "Do crows ever try to nest in it?"

I frowned at him. "You're losing your touch, Scorpius. You used that one before."

"Well, it was so brilliant I couldn't help using it again," he quipped back to hide his mistake.

"Please. You've had better."

"Like what?"

"Come on, like I'm going to repeat them back to you just to placate you're ego."

"Ro-ose!"

"You sound like a demented blorefigg. Don't whine, it doesn't become you," I said pertly.

He cast me an appraising eye. "My, my, you sounded exactly like Mum."

"Well, I like your mum."

"That's nice."

"I hope you got _her_ something nice for Christmas. I mean, she had to live with you for eleven years, she must need some compensation every now and again..."

"I did," said Scorpius, giving me a look for the insult, "I went back and got her those diamonds we saw in that jewellery store. I figure she already knew about the long term commitment part."

"I reckon you're right," I said smiling.

Scorpius chuckled. "I almost forgot," he said suddenly, reaching into the pocket of his trousers. "The whole reason I came over here; I have your Christmas present." He shrugged as he handed a small nondescript box over across the table.

Was he blushing? I was sorely tempted to laugh at him, but I refrained.

I reached over for the present and opened it quickly. I just managed to keep my mouth from falling open because there, nestled in the middle of pure white fabric was the gorgeous, expensive, emerald necklace I had admired in that same jewellery shop.

"Do you like it?" asked Scorpius, as he examined my face carefully.

It was quite adorable. He looked very nervous.

"I know you said not to get it, but you seemed very taken with it," he rambled, "And you, Rose Weasley, are a very hard person to shop for. I mean, you must've gotten tired of getting books every year since you could read and a few years before that too, I think, knowing your mum. Anyway, I thought- do you like it?" he repeated.

"I love it," I said quietly, handling the gossamer silver chain with the tips of my fingers as I drew it out of the box. "Thank you, Scorpius."

"You're welcome," he responded automatically.

"Could you help me?" I asked, holding up the two ends of the clasp once I had gotten them unfastened. I internally winced at how pleading my voice sounded. It didn't matter how much I wanted to feel his long thin fingers flutter along my skin – I was being pathetic.

"Sure," he said. He slowly got up from his chair and moved to stand behind me. I lifted my heavy and voluminous curls over my left shoulder to give him better view. Silently his fingers worked with the two ends of the necklace.

"Gee Weasley," Scorpius said, as he surveyed me carefully once he was done, "It doesn't look half bad."

"Oh you flatter me," I said sarcastically.

"Only when I have to."

"Anyway," I said, laughing off his semi-insult, "Thanks, again."

"Oh well, no problem," he said sheepishly as he sat back down.

"It's just that it was so much-" I started.

Scorpius sighed. "I have the money Rose, stop worrying. Plus, it's not like I'll be chucking you before Valentine's Day," he joked.

Translation of what Scorpius _really _just said, according to Rose Weasley: Why yes, Rose, of course I'll give this enormously expensive necklace to you! But no, it's not romantic in any way at all because I fancy another bird! Who is not you – let me make that clear. Why, it's just hilarious that I'd be dating you at all! Chucking you before Valentine's Day – haha, isn't that funny? Because we'd have to be dating in the first place! Get it?

But of course Scorpius wouldn't say that ...He would never use that many exclamation points.

I guess he must have sensed my foul mood coming on, for he then glanced down at this watch. "Sorry Rose, but I got to go," he apologized, "I told Father I'd be home for Christmas dinner, and they always have to start absurdly early. Anyway, I'll see you at New Years, of course?"

"Of course," I echoed.

He got up to go, and unexpectedly pulled out his wand. "Here, it must've been out for an hour already, and you still haven't finished it," he said before casting a heating charm over my hot chocolate. "There. Something to keep you warm while I'm away." He smirked before leaving the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes, as I followed him to the front door.

He grinned. "Be seeing you Weasley," he said as he tugged on his coat.

I really didn't know what made me do it. I was leaning in to hug him goodbye – I figured it was Christmas, he was bound to be feeling generous in affection for his best mate. Anyway, I had my arms around him, and I simply reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"T-thanks," I repeated for the hundredth time that day. "I mean, for the necklace, and the hot chocolate, and everything. Thanks Scorpius."

He was blushing. Bugger. I must've embarrassed him with my blatant disregard for personal space. "You're welcome, Rose. Happy Christmas," he muttered. He Disapparated.

I walked back to the kitchen feeling entirely disgruntled.

My lips still tingled from where they had touched his skin, and not even drinking copious amounts of my piping hot chocolate could make it go away for the next quarter of an hour.

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**A/N: Please Review!**


	4. Festivity

**A/N: Okay, so I know that the next chapter is supposed to be up next Saturday, but I only have it half-written so it's entirely possible that I will be late. Sorry! School just started, and my homework pile is now resembling a small mountain.**

**Enjoy!**

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"Rosie! How'r you m'dear coz?" James slurred as he opened the front door of the Potter's house to let me and the rest of my family in.

"Been at the firewhiskey already, son?" asked Dad in an amused voice from behind me.

"Oh do keep an eye on him, won't you Ron?" Mum pleaded from behind him. "He shouldn't drink much more." She swept a concerned eye over James.

"Naw, it's alright, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," James's girlfriend Bianca said as she appeared at his elbow, "I'll watch the ginger idiot for tonight. Feel free to drink all you want Mr. Weasley; I'll make sure James doesn't do anything stupid." She turned to him, frowning slightly. "I left his side for ten minutes to help Mrs. Potter in the kitchen and I found him in this state, can you believe it?" Bianca shook her head. "Privately I think he's faking to throw me off, but I can never be too sure, can I, pumpkin?"

All signs of drunkenness fled from James's face, as he stared at his girlfriend. "P-pumpkin?" he whispered in a strangled voice.

"See? I bet he's probably had only a butterbeer the entire night," Bianca said disapprovingly.

"Pumpkin?" James repeated flatly.

"Yes?" Bianca clasped her hands behind her back and batted her eyes at him.

"Shut it."

"Merlin James!" I heard Al shout behind him. "You've been 'getting the door' for five bloody-"

"Al!" came Aunt Ginny's unmistakable shout.

"- minutes. Stop letting all the cold air in the bloody-"

"Albus!" came Uncle Harry's reproachful voice.

"- House!" I finally saw Al's dishevelled black head appear in the space between James and Bianca. "Hey Rose, Hugo, Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron," he greeted as he saw us. "Honestly, come in already. Move aside, you two," he barked at James and Bianca who were currently trying to out petname each other with straight faces.

"Alright cupcake," James was saying as the incoming Weasleys all hung up our heavy coats.

"Sure honey," Bianca responded

"Lamb."

"Lambchop."

"That's gross. That implies _eating _your significant other, poppet."

"And 'cupcake' doesn't, sweetums?" Bianca argued with a frown.

"No it doesn't, kitten."

"Yes it does, dumpling."

"You're wrong, sweetie pie."

"Shut up, pookie."

"So you're going the cutesy route, eh, tootsies?" James asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I'm stopping now. I think I'm going to puke, snugglekins."

"Just as long as it's not on me, poopsies."

"I'll be sure to get a bit on Albus, huggly bear."

"That'd be great, cuddle bunny."

"I'm all over this, muffin."

"Stud-muffin," James corrected her solemnly.

Bianca let out a shout of laughter at James's deadpan. She was so overcome by her giggles that she couldn't speak for a moment. Finally she breathed, "You win," to James once she stopped laughing. However, by that time James had started doing his habitual victory dance. One look at James's bizarre waltz/river dance hybrid, and she again was forced to surrender to loud whoops of mirth. Once he was done James joined her and they were both practically rolling on the floor laughing.

"Quite a pair, aren't they?" a sly voice drawled.

"Scorpius!" I smiled, walking over to stand next to where the blond was leaning against the doorframe into the living room off the entrance hall.

"You can't deny they are quality entertainment, though," Scorpius said with a smirk. He held up his glassful of champagne and toasted James.

From on the floor James flashed a grin in Scorpius's direction and then fell to tickling Bianca.

"Indeed," I said, smiling as I watched the two of them wrestle on the ground. "What time did you get here?" I asked.

"A few minutes ago. As usual I had a bit of a discussion with Father about coming." Scorpius rolled his eyes. "He didn't think that I would quite fit in at this family affair."

"But you've been coming for nearly three years now!" I said, outraged. "How can he say such a thing?"

"He's my father. It's is duty to be overbearing, blind and stubborn," explained Scorpius simply.

"The Longbottoms and Scamanders are not relatives, yet they're here," I argued.

Scorpius sighed. "They've been close family friends of the Potter's for nearly thirty years now. They're honorary family. I barely have three years on them."

"But-but, Bianca is here! She's not family," I said hurriedly.

Scorpius threw me a significant look. "Bianca and James are practically engaged, everyone knows that."

"You can't honestly say you would rather be stuck in your manor with only your house elves for company?" I said sharply. I couldn't really say why I was overreacting. It just really distressed me that there was even the slightest possibility that Scorpius wouldn't have been able to come. The Potter's New Year's Party without Scorpius? It would be like Albus without his glasses, like McGonagall without her tartan socks, or like Uncle Harry without his scar. It was just wrong. Scorpius not being at the Potter's New Year's Party could only be accomplished by some freak of nature. It was certainly his right, proper place, whatever. Why couldn't his father see that?

"Merlin Rose, _I_ wanted to come. Of course I'd rather be here than in the Manor," Scorpius said in an exasperated tone.

"Right," I said quietly.

"Anyway, I let him think it over while I Apparated over here like every year. Meanwhile I will be enjoying myself at the Potter's," said Scorpius as he took another drink of his champagne.

"How does your mum feel?"

Scorpius shrugged. "You know her. She won't go directly against Father; she hates getting the silent treatment, after all. But she did all but kick me out of the Manor when Father was looking the other way."

I grinned. "I knew I liked your mum."

"I do too," he said, smiling as well.

"I see you're wearing the necklace," he pointed out to change the subject.

His face remained impassive, and I couldn't tell if he was pleased or not. "Er, yeah," I said awkwardly, as I started blushing. "I mean, I like it and it went the dress I picked out."

No need to tell him that I chose this dress _because_ it went with his necklace, and not the other way around.

"It makes a nice Christmas theme," Scorpius snickered, indicating my vibrant red hair (and face too, by this point) and green dress.

"Yeah well, it's my favourite holiday," I said defensively.

"But it'd be better if it wasn't six days overdue," he continued, sipping his champagne thoughtfully.

"Hi guys!" said Al as he approached us, cutting off my reply. "How's it going?" he asked brightly, turning from his cousin to his best mate.

"Good, how about you Al?" I asked him.

"Alright," said Al before he gave a slight grimace. "Bianca's been here the whole day, and I can't get the pair of them to shut up without outright Silencing them. Even then they manage to annoy the crap out of me by following me around everywhere and making weird faces at my back."

I nodded sympathetically. I had tried that on Hugo when I first turned seventeen, and the results had been pretty much the same.

"Well, how do you usually get James to put a sock in it?" asked Scorpius.

"Lock him in his room without his wand," said Al simply.

"And that won't work because...?" I said, cocking my head to the side as I tried to think of a problem with the solution posed.

"Mum and Dad don't want James and Bianca locked in a room together anywhere near their house," Al explained flatly.

"Ah," I said slowly.

Scopius, however, still looked confused. "So? I say, just do it, Al. So what if they spend the whole day shagging each other dry? At least they'll be out of your hair."

Al turned a fiery red and started to make odd retching sounds over his drink.

I patted him concernedly on the back while giving Scorpius a disgusted expression over my cousin's shoulder. "That's gross, even for you," I told him.

He shrugged. "Hey, I'm all for the easiest solution possible. It's not my problem if Al can't stand to hear about his brother's sex-"

"You finish that sentence, Scorpius, and I will personally see to it that you spend the rest of the holidays as a snowman in our backyard," Al threatened. "We'd use you for target practice. We need something to hit with a Quaffle nowadays, ever since James ran off to Romania."

Scorpius's only response was, "I like the snow."

I snorted.

"Fine. I'll lock you in _Lily's_ room without a wand for the rest of the holidays. And don't you dare make a crack about my sister's sex life either." Al shuddered.

Scorpius gave a barely perceptible twitch. "You wouldn't," he muttered, face ashen.

"Don't tempt me, Scorpius," Al retorted.

I laughed. "She's not that bad. Really," I said, looking over my shoulder to where Lily was chatting animatedly with Lysander and Molly.

"She has pink frilly things everywhere!" Scorpius said in a strangled voice, bringing me back to the discussion at hand.

"Then close your eyes, you dimwit," I said.

"She never stops talking!"

By Scorpius's side, Al nodded knowingly.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms across my chest. "Honestly, tune her out. You always seem to do that with me," I muttered.

"No I don't!" said Scorpius defensively.

"What? Really? I do all the time," Al said in a surprised tone, giving his best mate a look.

I shook my head at him. "Fine, I'm sorry, but your only choice seems to be jumping out her window and trying to Apparate without a wand before she can run after you and drag you back in," I said, throwing my hands up in the air in frustration.

"Bad luck, mate," Al said, clapping Scorpius on his shoulder. He looked like he was going to face the gallows tomorrow. "Anyway, this was all purely hypothetical. You don't mention That-Which-Shall-Not-Be-Named, and I don't have to resort to drastic action."

"Cheers," Scorpius said in a low voice.

"Alright, who needs another round of drinks?" I asked, plucking Scorpius's empty champagne flute out of his hands and eyeing Albus, who at my words drained his glass of butterbeer.

"More champagne for Blondie," I said, nodding my head at Scorpius who scowled, "and what about you, coz?" I finished, turning to my cousin who handed over his glass to me with a smile.

"Er, some Firewhiskey, but only if Mum doesn't catch you giving it to me."

I laughed. "Sure, I'll be right back." I weaved through the vast amount of Weasleys to get to the Potter's kitchen, every once in a while greeting an aunt or an uncle. Finally, after squeezing through Uncle Charlie and Uncle George having an animated discussion concerning the supposedly infinite uses of dragon dung, I found myself alone in the kitchen, save Victoire who leaning against the sink.

"Hello, Rosie," I heard Victoire say as I reached for an empty glass.

"Hey Vic," I responded. "How're you doing?"

"Good. And you?"

"Alright."

Victoire smiled. "Your studies going well? I hope you're not beating yourself up over NEWTs; I remember they were a real pain."

I grimaced. "Not too much. I mean, I always have Al to make loud noises and to provide distractions."

She laughed. "Great."

"And then lecturing Scorpius always brightens my mood and provides a nice break to the day," I continued.

Victoire's eyes twinkled. "And how is Scorpius? I saw you two chatting by the door earlier before Albus came blundering in and ruined the moment."

I felt an unwilling blush spread across my cheeks. "Moment? What moment?" I squeaked, fumbling with the lid of the firewhiskey.

"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about, Rose Weasley."

I shook my head. "Scorpius and I weren't having 'a moment' because we don't have 'moments'; we only have bloody conversations," I retorted.

"From your attitude I take it that you're not dating yet?" she asked shrewdly, peering at me from above the lid of her glass.

"No. Why would we?" I asked, eyebrows raised, "He has a girlfriend."

Victoire waved away my most recent comment. "So? He changes girlfriends faster than he changes his pants."

I tried _very_ hard to not think of Scorpius changing his pants.

Merlin.

This was why I hated Victoire. Well, the kind of love-hate relationship you can only have with family, at any rate. There were some times where she was a perfectly lovely witch. Then there were the others when I just wanted to Silence her for the rest of eternity. Meddlesome, that's what she was. Ever since she caught her little cousin comforting Scorpius Malfoy after he got rejected by Dominique that one summer, Victoire became convinced that Scorpius and I would make the most perfect couple the wizarding world had ever seen (apart from herself and Teddy Lupin, of course). Of course I always dismissed her theory as delusional, but recent events obviously made me change my mind. The only Ravenclaw Weasley was definitely too smart for her own good.

"Then why would I want to engage in a relationship with Scorpius Malfoy if he's just going to chuck me a week later?" I asked her, eyebrows raised.

Victoire sighed. "Please, all those other girls are just something for him to bide his time with. You're what he's really after. I can see it."

"You can see it," I repeated flatly.

"Sure. It's as clear as day. Mark my words, he fancies you." She nodded with some sort of finality.

Please. We're _nowhere_ near done, Vicky.

"And whatever gave you that idea?" I asked, trying to sound scornful. Merlin, I just hoped she couldn't detect the burning curiosity behind my question.

I got a nasty feeling that she could see right through my little charade, though, as she said, "It's just the way he looks at you." She smiled.

Well, gee, that's cleared everything right up, thanks!

I crossed my arms over my chest. "He looks at me the same as he's always done," I said stubbornly.

Victoire shook her head sadly at me. "Of course you wouldn't notice, but he's _always_ looked at you like that."

"That's just what I said!"

"You're hopeless," Victoire said, chuckling.

"But-" I started, but I stopped speaking as I sensed that Victoire was focused on something over my shoulder. Turning around, I beheld her fiancé, Teddy Lupin.

"Vic, hey, Fleur's looking for you. She's all convinced that you need to determine which napkins we want at the wedding." Teddy grimaced. "She nearly blew up in my face when I said that cream coloured ones and the vanilla ones looked exactly the same." He rolled his eyes.

"Right," Victoire said, grabbing Teddy's proffered hand. "You're positively hopeless, love," she sighed.

"What? Me?" asked Teddy in an outraged voice. "Honestly, Vic, you know there's no difference between the bloody napkins!"

"That may be true," observed Victoire as she patted Teddy on the shoulder comfortingly with a smirk plastered onto her beautiful face, "But you should just have picked one and be done with it. Less fuss, and then Maman wouldn't think you were a total nincompoop."

"I'm not a nincompoop!"

"Sure," Victoire rolled her eyes. "Mind if I leave you, Rose?" She asked, turning to me.

I shook my head.

They disappeared into the crowd of Weasleys milling around the house, but not before Victoire called over her shoulder, "I know you fancy him, Rose! Oh hello, Scorpius!"

I was going to kill her.

"Fancy who?" asked Scorpius as he entered the kitchen, skirting around Victoire who, I could hear, was giggling madly.

She was _so_ dead. Very, very, dead.

"No one," I muttered as I took up the abandoned firewhiskey bottle to finish Al's drink.

"You sure?" pressed Scorpius as he walked over to sit on alcohol laden table next to where I was standing.

"Very," I said shortly, hating the flush that was quickly blooming all over my face.

"You're lying," he accused, grabbing the firewhiskey from my hand and taking a swig. "Who do you fancy, Weasley?" he repeated.

I stole the bottle back from him. "Stop that!" I chided. "Don't get your germs all over it."

Scorpius sighed. "Really, Rose, no one will notice or mind, especially after a mouthful of that. Merlin, that's strong." He licked his lips. "What year?"

I checked the label. "1999," I said, looking up at him.

"Good stuff, that," commented Scorpius as he obligingly got himself a glass and poured one for himself.

"Don't get totally pissed," I warned him as I watched him sip it, "Uncle Harry will throw you out into the snow, just like he did last year. Remember?"

He laughed. "Mrs. Potter was ready to flay Al alive once she found out he had been drinking."

"I'm just glad Dad was too plastered to notice that I had been indulging," I admitted as I cast a Scorgify spell on the rim of the firewhiskey container after taking it from Scorpius and placing it back on the table.

"What a euphemism," said Scorpius thoughtfully. "Such an odd way of saying you were so drunk you couldn't even mumble a coherent sentence if your life depended on it."

"Yeah well, at least Mum was busy yelling at Hugo for trying to spike the punch."

"Merlin, I'd forgotten. I've never seen Mrs. Weasley that mad."

"I do believe she reached a record decibel," I said, shaking my head. "Uncle George reckons she's going to take out his only remaining ear at this rate."

Scorpius shook his head. "Oh," he said suddenly as something occurred to him, "Let's head back, yeah? I think your aunt mentioned something about dinner starting soon. Anyway, Al's probably wondering why it has taken me fifteen minutes to come and fetch you."

"Sure," I said as I led our way out of the kitchen and out into the throng of Weasley relatives.

I passed Aunt Audrey in the hall and waved, secretly hoping that her husband next to her wouldn't hail me over to discuss some incredibly boring topic. I smiled at Grandma, who was laughing at one-eared Uncle George by the fireplace in the living room. Lastly, I threw a nasty look at Victoire who took once glance at my company and gave me the thumbs up over Teddy's shoulder.

It was just after we found Al that Aunt Ginny's voice, magically magnified, drowned out all other conversation in the house. I swivelled around from where I stood and caught sight of my redheaded aunt standing on the dining room table.

"All right, family, friends, and other redheaded people, please proceed out into the garden for dinner!" she shouted above the racket. "Children's table is in the far back, as usual! James lead-"

"Oi!" I heard James shout. "I'm nineteen bleeding-"

"James," I heard Uncle Harry say warningly, but James ploughed on.

"- Years old, no way am I still sitting at the kid's table!" he finished angrily.

"Oh yes you will," Ginny said immediately. "And I'll hear no fuss from you, young man."

"But-"

"You heard your mother, James," Uncle Harry said wearily.

"I'm nineteen!" he repeated, looking around him for support. I saw that Bianca was studiously looking in the other direction at him while most of my other relatives wore an expression of amused nostalgia. Poor James, I thought, just had to go make a scene like he did every year.

"You'd think he'd have learned by now that he's stuck at the children's table until he matures," I muttered to Scorpius.

"You know James; he needs something told to him at least eighty-six times until it sinks in," Al said on my other side.

"How long has he done it for?" Scorpius whispered in my ear.

The tingles where his breath met my neck were positively heavenly.

"Three years," I said quietly, watching with ill disguised amusement as Aunt Ginny finally lost her temper and started listing possible punishments varying from dish duty later tonight to month of quality time with his cousin Larry Dursley. "Ever since he got his Hogwarts letter for seventh year," I told Scorpius out of the corner of my mouth with one ear on James.

When it looked like the argument was about to die down, I grabbed Al's elbow and dragged him out into the backyard as Scorpius followed along behind us. As usual, he let me lead and forge a path through the many Weasleys while he kept close to my heels and followed in my wake.

Luckily we were some of the first people out of the house so we were able to snag the three chairs at the end of the table furthest away from the adults. We were seated under a gigantic tent erected in the Potter's backyard. It was magically coated with a warming charm, so that even though snow was still piled high on the darkening trees outside, we were all pleasantly comfortable under the cream coloured canopy. It was draped artfully with blue and gold streamers and candles hovered magically around us, every once in a while hitting an unwary wizard in the head if they stood up to quickly for the candle to move out of the way. Al was seated at the head of the table, with me on his left and Scorpius on his right. Immediately next to me was seated Roxanne and across from her, and next to Scorpius, was April Longbottom.

After we had all sat down, including the adults, I saw Uncle Harry stand up for the usual toast. "Okay," he started, "I'll make this short because I'm sure we're all anxious to dig in to my wife's delicious food that would make Molly proud."

"Ear, ear!" I heard Uncle George shout.

There was a collective sigh and a few chuckles as we heard this same joke for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Anyway," continued Uncle Harry, "To the new year: may it bring us as much happiness as the one we will be leaving behind in approximately-" Uncle Harry hurriedly shook back the arm of his robes and glanced at the battered watch that had once belonged to my great uncle Fabian, "Three hours and eighteen minutes!"

"To the new year," we all echoed, raising our goblets in synch and drinking.

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**A/N: Just 'click!' the little button that says review, please.**


	5. Heartbreak

"Okay," thirteen-year-old Lucy called at the kid's table, her voice just loud enough to reach Albus at the other far end. "So, just giving you a reminder, the competition will end at ten thirty, when all the younger ones have to go to bed." Here, Lucy sent a calm eye over Fred, Roxanne and Molly who immediately began protesting. "That's in fifteen minutes people, so you better get moving on those last few points!"

At the other end of the table, I grinned at Scorpius. "I set my record tonight, four with only two caught."

"Why are you gloating?" he asked as he leaned over the table to give me a condescending smile. "As if you could hope to ever beat me, Weasley."

I shot him an indignant look. "How many do you have then?"

He casually lobbed the last dinner roll on his plate at James's head which ricocheted off his intended target and hit a surprised Bianca on the ear. They both turned around at the same time and stared around the table for the culprit.

Turning back to me as if nothing had happened, Scorpius said smugly, "that would be seven with none caught."

"Seven?" repeated Al with wide eyes. "Come on, mate! My best is six with three caught and I've been doing this for eight years!"

"I can't help it. I'm just naturally this talented," Scorpius said as he smirked at us.

He didn't react when my own dinner roll hit him squarely on the forehead as a response; instead he continued to serenely eat his chocolate cake.

"How're you doing, Al?" I asked, turning to my right.

Al sighed. "Five, but at least James hasn't caught any of them. Accio bread," he called, pointing his wand at the wicker basket in the middle of the table. A dinner roll soared obligingly into his outstretched hand.

_"Accio,"_ I said as well, fetching myself my last one.

"On three?" he muttered to me.

I nodded, rolling my piece of bread over in my hand resting on my lap.

"One...two... three!" He chucked the roll in the direction of James, who reached up easily and plucked it out of the air an inch away from his nose. Al gave me a dirty look, when he realized I hadn't thrown mine at the same time.

"Nice try, little brother!" called James down the table, tossing Al's roll in the air with one hand, "But just so you know, the whole countdown kind of gave you away!"

"Amateur," I heard Scorpius say, shaking his head at Al.

James ostentatiously took a large bite. "You know what it tastes like, Al?" he asked with his mouth full, "It phastes ike _vic'rory!"_

Quickly, while James was distracted by Bianca who was berating him for acting like a pig, I stealthily leaned back in my chair and aimed my roll at the back of James's messy ginger head.

Success!

"What the-" James began, wildly looking for the culprit of the carbohydrate laden missile that had just made contact with his cranium.

I smiled hugely and gave him a little wave to let him know it was me. Once he realized it wasn't his brother again, James shrugged and let the offense go. "At least it wasn't Scorpius again!" he called before he turned to say something to Bianca.

"How about you, April?" Al was asking as I settled my chair back down on all four legs.

The petite strawberry blonde next to Scorpius smiled bashfully. "You know all hand-eye coordination is beyond me," she muttered, "I got one on him, I think. All others were too wide."

Al shook his head. "There's always next year," he said encouragingly.

"I suppose so," she responded.

Suddenly we all looked around as the rest of the chatter surrounding us died down. I noticed that Lucy had stood up, and was now waiting for everyone else to fall silent. "So, as it's ten thirty, bed time for all of you not allowed to stay up until midnight!" she called in a loud voice.

"But Luce-" Molly piped up, tugging on her sister's sleeve. "I'll be eleven in two weeks. Can't you talk-"

"Sorry Molls, no can't do," Lucy said, while gently removing Molly's clutching fingers and moving to hold her hand. "You know Dad and his rules," she said complacently.

Molly sulked, but stopped protesting.

"Alright," Lucy said in a louder voice, "At third place is Dominque with six hits and only one caught."

There was a round of clapping, and at the end of the adult's table that was closest to Lucy, Teddy turned around and blew a kiss to Dominique. I giggled as Victoire swivelled around in her seat and punched Teddy in the arm before flashing a smile at her little sister for her victory.

"Right," Lucy resumed after the noise had died down, "Second place... goes to Scorpius, with seven hits and none caught."

I clapped, all the while smiling widely at Scorpius's stunned face.

"Second?" he mouthed at Al, roaring with laughter at his best mate's defeat.

"First place," started Lucy after a moment. The whole table immediately hushed, waiting with bated breath to see who had unseated Scorpius's three year winning streak and would get the seventeen sickle prize money. "With _ten _hits and two caught, goes to... Hugo Weasley!" Lucy pronounced triumphantly, raising her nearly empty glass of pumpkin juice to toast my little brother.

"Hugo," Scorpius said flatly as he turned to stare at the boy in question who was currently receiving a round of applause at both tables.

"Hughie beat _you_?"I asked Scorpius gleefully.

He scowled and turned to talk to Al who was now Banishing peppermint humbugs at James's head with his wand for the simple pleasure of hitting his brother with something.

Just then Aunt Angelina and Uncle Percy rose from the adult's table and began making their way over to stand beside Lucy.

"Come on Molly," Uncle Percy said, looking down at his youngest daughter who was steadfastly ignoring him. "Time for bed, it's nearly a quarter to eleven."

Molly shook her head resolutely. "I'm not t-tired!" she insisted through a huge yawn as she looked around the table.

"Go on Molls," Lucy said while helping her sister up from her seat, "The excitement's over. All we'll be doing for the next hour is sitting around and talking. Boring stuff, I tell you," she explained.

"You promise?" little Molly asked, turning from her father to her sister.

Uncle Percy nodded gravely while Lucy chirped, "Yeah, you bet your bottom galleon."

Molly sighed, and then, with one last look at her father, got up from her seat. She stopped at the adult's table to kiss her mother goodnight, and then made her way back into the house, closely followed by Aunt Angelina leading Roxanne by the hand and carrying a sleeping Fred on her arm.

For a moment the noise died down as we watched the younger Weasleys leave for bed.

And then:

"Albus Severus Potter, STOP THROWING THOSE EFFING THINGS AT ME!" James roared, starting up from his chair half a second later.

"You're in for it," Scorpius muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

"Not if he can't catch me," Albus said quickly as he stuck his wand in his pocket and all but sprinted back into the house.

"WHERE IS THE SCRAWNY GIT GOING?" James demanded down the table.

I shrugged.

"Loo?" Scorpius ventured, lips twitching as he fought to keep in his smile.

"I'M GOING TO-"

"Merlin, James!" I heard Bianca say in an exasperated voice as she put her hand on his arm to keep him in his seat. "Let it go. It's New Years Eve; don't start off the New Year by fratricide. I'm sure that's some sort of a bad omen, or something."

"I don't give a damn about Divination, Bee."

Bianca laughed. "Be that as it may, if Al ended up Avada Kedavra'd tomorrow morning, I'm sure you'll have to deal with your mother _and_ your grandmother."

James blanched as he took in his girlfriend's words. "Grandma, grandma, grandma" he muttered to himself, sitting back down.

It was as Bianca leaned in to kiss him that I looked away.

"Aren't they _cute?"_ April Longbottom sighed from next to Scorpius.

"They do make a nice couple," I agreed, watching as James whispered something in Bianca's ear that made her giggle and blush. All animosity for his brother seemed to be forgotten.

Scorpius rolled his eyes.

"Come on, they _are_ adorable," I wheedled, smiling at Scorpius.

Oh I just knew he hated whenever I went all girly on him. With Al gone, he had no choice to stay and listen. I was going to have so much fun with him! I briefly wondered how long he would last, fifteen minutes? Five? Thirty seconds? before April spoke. "Speaking of couples, how's your girlfriend, Scorpius?"

My heart plummeted in my chest as I abandoned all my attempts to engage in friendly banter and/or an excuse to flip my hair and flirt with him because let's face it, that was totally my plan all along.

"She's good," Scorpius said after a moment. "She's on holiday in Shanghai at the moment, visiting her extended family."

"Good for her," said April enthusiastically. "Getting out and seeing the world, and all that. Are you getting together with her before the break is over? Wish her a belated happy Christmas, or something like that?"

Scorpius shook his head. "I don't think so, it's too far to Apparate and I asked my parents, and they said a portkey would be too much trouble. They didn't want to bother the Ministry with it. I'm sure they have enough on their hands this holiday season without arranging a portkey halfway across the globe for the simple matter of letting me see my girlfriend."

"But wouldn't it be _romantic?"_ April sighed. "Just show up on her doorstep and sweep her off her feet and declare your love in a foreign city..." She drifted off, a happy little smile on her face.

April was too distracted to notice Scorpius's neutral expression morph into one of absolute horror. Little did she know that he avoided that four letter word like the dragon pox. Never, in all the four years that I had known him, had he ever told a girl (that was not his mother) that he loved her. Ever. It was the only rule he had when it came to girls.

It was my loud laugh that startled April out of her daydream. "Sounds like a plan, doesn't it Scorpius?" I proposed.

He gave me a questioning look before scowling heavily. "No, I don't think-" he started.

"I bet either Uncle Percy or Mum could wrangle up some helpful contacts," I cut him off wickedly.

"Oh, I bet they could!" April squealed excitedly. "Even my mum, she's made friends with a ton of Ministry wizards who stay at the Leaky. I bet they owe her _loads_ of favours."

"Er, no, I can't-"

"I think you should do it, Scorpius!" she insisted.

"What do you think, Rose?" he asked, turning and surveying me with stormy grey eyes.

I gave a little cough before I spoke. As much as I wanted to watch him squirm under April's sweet, but totally misplaced enthusiasm, I figured that was not what best mates would do to each other. Plus, if I encouraged her, he might just up and follow my advice after all! He always did in the past, at least. And did I want him going all the way to bloody China to wish his girlfriend a happy holiday and be the ultimate romantic boyfriend to another girl? No I did not. Not at all.

"Um, it's a bit late, April," I said slowly turning to look at the Gryffindor next to him. "We're going back to school in three days, and I know that isn't enough time for Scorpius to fully enjoy, um, China," I explained, tossing her an apologetic look.

On her right, Scorpius gave me an appreciative nod.

"Oh well," she said regretfully, toying with the end of her long braid, "I suppose there's always the Easter holidays, right?"

Scorpius smiled. "I guess so."

"Alright," I said, getting up before April could press the matter further, "I'll help Aunt Ginny in the kitchen." I withdrew my wand from my pocket and waved it at a few of the empty dinner plates which soared obligingly into the air to hover in front of me.

"Me too," muttered Scorpius as he rose from his chair. He quickly summoned the empty bread basket and half full bowl of peppermint humbugs that Al had abandoned fifteen minutes earlier.

We both walked back into the house, talking and joking about nothing in particular. After dumping my dishes in the kitchen for Aunt Ginny to deal with later, I waited for Scorpius to pour himself another firewhiskey before we went off to find Al. A moment later I spotted him playing with a snitch he had obviously nicked from his sister's Quidditch supplies. He was sitting contentedly on the padded bench in an alcove off the entryway, overlooking the snowy main street of Godric's Hollow.

"Hey Al," I said as we approached him.

"Budge up, mate," demanded Scorpius as he set his glass of firewhiskey down on the floor. He took a seat next to Al and occupied two thirds of the bench, propping up his legs right where Al had been sitting.

"Hey guys," said Al cheerfully. He stuffed the snitch unceremoniously into his pocket and turned to face us.

"Honestly," I sighed, "Now where am I supposed to sit?"

Al shrugged.

Scorpius grinned. He lowered both of his legs so that one dangled off the edge of the bench and the other took up even more of the seat. "I don't know, Rose. Looks like you're out of luck," he said sombrely.

"Nonsense," I said matter-of-factly. "Move over, you big arse."

"I'm perfectly comfortable where I am, thank you very much," Scorpius retorted calmly, leaning back in his seat to prove his point. "I know you would have no way of knowing this, but tall people like myself need copious amounts of legroom, better for circulation and all that. I need to ensure that blood can still flow to _certain areas_," he said slyly.

I mimed gagging for a couple of seconds. "You're such a git, Scorpius," I told him once I was done.

"Anyway," he continued, "I'm afraid that you, my vertically challenged friend, need to find a different seat," he drawled with a self satisfied smirk on his face.

I pulled out my wand.

"No need to curse him off it!" said Al in an alarmed voice. "I'll get up, Rose. I need to find April anyway."

"Don't be a prat, Al," I said, shaking my head. "Please, I'm not going to stoop down to _his_ level-" I sent a glare at the blond next to him.

"What's that supposed to mean, Weasley?" Scorpius asked, giving me a questioning look.

"Come on," I said, lowering my wand. "You don't recall a single time in your sad excuse for a life when you felt so inclined to hit me with some sort of shocking jinx to get me to vacate some seat?"

Scorpius laughed. "Merlin, I'd forgotten!"

"Well I haven't," I said obviously.

"It's good to see you aren't dwelling, or anything," Al said, grinning.

"I'm not!" I exclaimed.

Scorpius merely continued to snigger. "It made your hair stand up even more than usual."

"Good to know I amuse you," I said scornfully.

"Endlessly," Scorpius deadpanned.

I shook my head and raised my wand again. I twirled it in the air, and immediately a comfy cushion appeared, spinning in front of my face. I reached up and plucked it out of the air before it could fall to the floor.

"What in Merlin's name are you planning to do with that, Rose?" Al asked bemusedly.

"I'm going to sit on it, Al," I told him shortly, taking a step forward.

"Where?" Scorpius asked, looking around them.

I swiftly marched over and planted the cushion right on his legs. Before he could react, I sat down and leaned back smugly. "Here," I said in response to his question.

"Get off, Rose," he said irritably, trying to pushing me off with one elbow.

I squirmed out of the way. "Not going to happen, Scorpius. I like it here." It was true; I was immeasurably pleased that I was seated on Scorpius Malfoy's _lap_, a place usually reserved for the current girlfriend of the month.

"That makes one of us," Scorpius said sourly. "Al, help me here!" he pleaded to my cousin seated next to us.

Al responded by getting out the snitch again and fiddling with its wings.

"Albus," said Scorpius in a low voice, "Why are you just sitting there like a completely useless sod while your cousin is practically molesting me?"

I laughed. Really, he shouldn't tempt me with enticing prospects like that.

Al shrugged. "Don't really know."

"That's a bloody stupid answer."

Al shrugged again. "It's the only one I got. Plus, you always said you wanted a brother. I do this to James all the time. I'm just helping you be more grateful that you are an only child. You'll thank me later," he said sagaciously as he went back to releasing his snitch and then catching it again.

"Deluded wanker," Scorpius muttered. "Get off, Rose Weasley," he said loudly.

"Nope," I said blithely. I could get _very_ used to this close proximity. I leaned back to prove my point, pressing my shoulder against his chest as I sagged into him. Inhaling deeply, I could smell his cologne, and some faint traces of broomstick polish. It was bloody fantastic. I turned my head up to look at his face. His grey eyes were fixed on Al across from us; they were slightly narrowed in concentration and his stormy irises seemed strained.

"Rose," Scorpius said slowly, shifting slightly under my weight, "Lay off the cauldron cakes, won't you? You weigh a bloody tonne!"

I harrumphed and crossed my arms over my chest. "Really Scorpius, don't you remember the first rule I ever told you about girls?" I asked him exasperatedly.

"They like it if keep your trousers on at least until the dinner's over?"

"What? Ew, no," I said, wrinkling my nose.

"That they appreciate compliments even when they look like total shit?"

"Yes, but not what I'm going for," I said, rolling my eyes.

"They have odd, unexplainable fetishes for shoes?"

"Again, yes, but no."

"Never call her fat," Al piped up from the other side of the bench.

"Precisely," I said, scowling up at Scorpius, who shrugged.

"If I say you're not fat, will you get off?" he asked me shrewdly.

"Probably not."

He sighed, and I felt the puff of air leave his chest. It rustled against my hair, and I hurriedly reached up a hand to pat it down again. My hand brushed lightly against the bottom of his chin, and I quickly withdrew it as the faint fluttering of butterflies made their way into the bottom of my stomach. It wasn't a wholly uncomfortable sensation, quite enjoyable, actually. I gave out a little sigh myself, but of pleasure. Thankfully he seemed not to notice.

"Rosie, did you hear about the Holyhead Harpy match last Saturday?" Al asked interestedly. "Erin Apton was amazing!"

"Sure," I scoffed, "And Snorkaks can fly."

"I'm not sure what they can do, Rose, as they're completely imaginary," Scorpius said, sniggering. "Excluding that, I'm sure even a made up creature could fly better than Apton. The Harpies are out of the league for sure. Go Magpies!"

"Since when have you ever supported the Montrose Magpies?" asked Al exasperatedly.

"Since they beat the Meteors _and_ the Bears two weeks ago. They're currently undefeated in their league."

We continued to talk about Quiddtich. Well, I guess Scorpius and Al talked. I listened mostly, enjoying the prime opportunity to enjoy Scorpius and the feel of his chest against my back. Yes, I knew we were separated by clothing, but a girl's can dream, right? Plus, my dress had a very low cut back, and I could feel the starched fabric of his white dress shirt all the way from my shoulder blades to my waist.

I continued to fantasize and Scorpius and Al continued to argue for a quarter of an hour more until April suddenly poked her head into the alcove where we all were hiding.

"Hey!" she said, stepping inside and smiling.

"April!" exclaimed Al as he caught sight of the strawberry blonde. "Sorry. I've been meaning to go find you, but I, er, forgot."

"Great," said April, a bit nervously. "Al? Can I have a sec outside?"

My cousin immediately jumped up from his seat. "Sure," he said brightly. He strode to her, seized her hand and led her out of the room. "See you later," he called.

"Bye," I said loudly.

A moment passed, during which I realized with an uneasy jolt, that Scorpius and I were completely _alone_ and that I was practically lying on top of him. I mean, my back was comfortably resting against his chest, and our legs were tangled together. My long hair was thrown casually over my shoulder, completely covering his right arm. He was playing with a single curl, wrapping it experimentally around his finger again and again. I couldn't see his face, but from his relaxed posture and lack of words I could tell that he was deep in thought.

"Um," I said slowly, trying to figure out what the hell he was thinking.

He immediately tensed as I spoke. "Rose," he said deliberately, lowering his gaze to mine.

I shifted in my seat slightly. "Look, Scorpius," I said quickly, looking away, "It's okay, I'm moving now that Al's gone."

His eyes widened. "Wait, no," he said, shaking his head. "I mean, it'd be alright. You seem really comfortable."

"You sure?" I asked, tilting my head to the side to get a better look at him. "I just sat here for a laugh, but now Al's seat is free..." I drifted off.

"Bloody hell, Rose," Scorpius swore, laughing lightly. "I don't mind."

"Er, right," I said hesitantly, lying back down again.

Just as I was about to open my mouth and sprout out some delightfully awkward conversation starter, another person interrupted us.

"Hi, Rosie!" said Victoire as she poked her head in the alcove.

Eyes widening in horror, I looked at Scorpius for a split second before I jumped away from him. Of course, in my panicked state I had no idea what my various limbs were doing, and so one foot ended up nicely on the floor, while the other somehow managed to kick the underside of the bench, sending me sprawling on the floor.

Rose Wealsey: Epic Failure, personified.

"I was just passing through," finished Victoire, looking like she was trying her hardest keep from bursting out into raucous laughter.

"Hi, Vic," I said a bit breathlessly into the carpet.

"Hi, Rosie," Victoire repeated, sniggering slightly.

"Hello Victoire," Scorpius said politely after a moment. "Or is it Mrs. Lupin, yet?"

Victoire shook her head, smiling. "Not quite that soon. Still four months before the big day. Merlin, what _are_ you doing Rose?"

"I was..." I said, searching my head rapidly for some plausible excuse.

"Getting me my drink," Scorpius inserted smoothly from above me.

I flipped my head around to stare at him.

"It's somewhere down there," he continued unabashedly to Victoire.

"And Rose felt the need to do that on all fours?" she asked flatly.

"Well," said Scorpius slowly, "You know Rose, big hair but no brains."

"Unfortunately," Victoire said, grimacing. "You are quite brainless, hon," she finished to me in a condescending voice. Her eyes darted significantly from me to Malfoy and back again.

I scowled. "Got it," I said shortly, reaching for the half full glass of firewhiskey next to the wall. I stood up, trying to look as dignified as possible.

"Your dress's riding up," Scorpius commented idly from behind me.

I think I just died from shame.

My face felt like it was on fire with the heat of my embarrassment, and I think my eyes were as wide as Quaffles. Blinking rapidly, I turned around and handed Scorpius his drink while straightening the back of my dress with my other hand as quickly as possible.

"Anyway I'll get going," Victoire said quietly, hiding a smile behind her hand. "I was just getting my camera. You know, it's fifteen minutes to midnight and I wanted to take pictures."

She left, but once she was out of eyesight I heard a delighted whoop of laughter.

I walked and sat down in Al's vacated seat, my back ramrod straight and deliberately not looking at Scorpius.

"That reminds me, who do you fancy?" he asked suddenly.

I blushed as my gaze snapped back to him. "What do you mean?" I asked in a high pitched voice. Merlin, I thought we had abandoned this topic in the kitchen _hours_ ago!

"It's a simple question, Wealsey. Is there a bloke that you fancy?" Scorpius said patiently, rolling his eyes.

"No one!" I denied firmly.

"You do," he said shrewdly, taking a drink of his firewhiskey, "I know it."

"Oh you do, do you?" I asked, eyebrows raised.

"Come on, Weasley," he drawled, "Just one hint?"

"No, because I don't fancy anyone," I said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

Scorpius sighed. "Rose," he said complacently, "I know you. You're lying to me, I can tell. Fess up, who is the damned bloke?"

I remained silent.

"Just one hint?"

I sighed in exasperation. Merlin, he was nothing if not persistent. "You don't know him," I said finally, scowling at him.

He looked at me thoughtfully. "That's a crap hint, and you know it Rose Weasley."

"I gave you plenty of information," I sniffed.

"Please," scoffed Scorpius, "That much I could've guessed."

"Then you're smarter than you look," I retorted.

"That hurts, Rose. That hurts," he said, rolling his eyes.

"You've never met him, and that's all you get Scorpius Malfoy," I said.

"I suppose I did get something," he said slowly, "It's a 'he' then?" He grinned at me.

My mouth dropped open at what he was implying. "Of course it bloody well is a 'he'!" I hissed angrily.

"Just checking, just checking," he said, putting hands up in the air in a gesture of innocence.

"You are a prat, Scorpius Malfoy," I said huffily as I got up and started to march away.

"Merlin, Rose, wait up!" he said in an alarmed voice as he started to follow me. "I've said worse, what's the big deal?"

"I just need a drink," I said shortly, entering the living room and proceeding straight into the kitchen. "Something preferably with a high alcohol content."

I made my way over to the table and poured myself a large glass of firewhiskey and sipped a mouthful. The stuff burned on its way down, but immediately I felt just a tad happier, and just a tad looser. I then downed it in another gulp.

"Woah, take it slow, Rose," said Scorpius, grabbing my nearly empty glass. "No need to drink yourself into a stupor yet."

"Oh come on!" I said, rolling my eyes, "It's _one_ drink!"

"Exactly," he said, "and you've already had it."

"Spoilsport," I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. Trust him to ruin my plan of getting drunk enough so that I can forget how embarrassing and sexually frustrating my life has gotten lately.

"Let's get back," Scorpius proposed, indicating the bustling party taking place in the living room. "We'll go find Al, tell some mood killing story while he's getting all comfortable with Longbottom and then run for our lives while he acts like a total nutcase. What do you say?"

"Sure," I said after a beat, nodding my head heavily.

He started to lead me back out of the kitchen, but he stopped in the doorway as the chatter rapidly died down in the living room beyond. Abruptly we both heard, "Ten..." from two dozen or so people. "Nine... eight... seven... six... five... four... three... two... one... Happy New Year!"

Then, quite suddenly, the whole place was filled with snogging couples greeting the new hour. Almost subconsciously my head turned to look up into Scorpius's inscrutable grey eyes. He was looking around the room beyond as well, but almost as if he could sense my gaze, his eyes flickered down to mine a split second after. He blinked, and for a moment I could see that same soft expression in his face that he had wore in my kitchen a week earlier. With a corner of his mouth quirked up into a half smile, he jerked his head toward the other room, and I could practically hear him slowly drawl, "Why not?"

I smiled, but made no move to turn away when he bent his head down. I mean, I didn't want to seem _too _eager. He moved slowly and hesitated momentarily, lips a centimetre away from mine.

I stood up on the balls of my feet to close the distance between us. Our lips met. It started out chaste and closemouthed; sort of like the friendly kiss between friends that most Hogwarts students had to go through whenever we had the bad luck to walk under a piece of enchanted mistletoe.

A few seconds later it changed. Oh Merlin, then it _changed._

Decidedly less chaste, and much more enjoyable, the kiss deepened. I felt his mouth open against mine, and I responded in kind. His tongue languidly explored the recesses of my mouth, and I embarrassedly let out a low moan. Abruptly he took a step forward, pinning me against the doorway. One hand reached up to tangle in my hair, angling my head upwards to minimize the height difference between us. The other hand slid up my outer thigh and over the back of my dress to rest on the small of my back, against my bare skin. I felt that area tingle all over with pleasure, and I was glad that I was leaning against something because I was sure I would have fallen over due to lack of feeling around my knees.

I'd call myself pathetic, but frankly I was having way too much fun.

I continued to snog Scorpius, blissfully unaware of whatever was going on around us. None of his ex-girlfriends had been wrong, Scorpius was an excellent snogger. He was no stranger to the female body, and he knew exactly what he was doing with his tongue. Always the gentleman, his hands stayed firmly in place, one in my hair the other on my back, but his fingers never stopped moving, one winding endlessly in my curls and the other caressing my skin gently.

After a few minutes or so he started to pull away; he withdrew his tongue and his lips closed. For a moment we stood there, in the exact same closemouthed kiss that we had begun with.

Then we broke apart.

I licked my lips nervously, and my hand flew to my hair to straighten whatever mess Scorpius had instigated. He stepped away from me, and I could just make out a tiny hint of pink spreading across his high cheekbones. Other than that, he looked perfectly composed.

"Well, Rose," he started. He paused before he leaned in to mutter in my ear, "Happy New Year."

"Er, right," I said, a bit breathlessly. "Happy New Year."

"I've got to go talk to Al about something," he said, standing up straight again, "Promise you'll be here when I get back?"

I nodded dumbly.

He sauntered off, and I heard his heavy footsteps on the stairs as he went to find Al.

I sighed happily and leaned back against the doorframe. A sense of absolute victory was rushing to me as I remembered every movement of his mouth against mine, the feel of his fingers in my hair, and Merlin, everything else he had done while kissing me. I had been picturing what it would be like to snog Scorpius for the past week, but he was so, so much better than I had imagined. He was amazing, plain and simple.

"Rosie!" I heard someone call urgently.

I didn't turn my head, too immersed in my memories of the past five glorious minutes.

"Rose Wealsey!" someone, my dad, yelled again across the room.

Suddenly he was right in front of me. "Didn't you hear me shouting your name?" he asked exasperatedly.

I shook my head.

"Well, we have to go right now, Hugo ate something funny and he's throwing up in the bathroom right now," he said, pulling me along.

"But, Dad, I have to stay-!" I started.

"Rose, I think it's pretty serious. We'd better get him to St. Mungo's immediately," he said, his voice grave as he marched me through the living room and met Mum by the front door.

"Then why do I have to go?" I asked as my coat was shoved roughly into my hand.

"Because he's your brother!" said Dad furiously. "We never abandon our family, haven't I taught you that, Rose? Never. It's the worst possible thing a sibling can do to each other, abandonment. I left Uncle Harry, who is practically my brother, once when he needed me most and have regretted it ever since. Your Uncle Percy left the family for two years and it nearly tore us all apart. You are coming with us, Rose, and there is nothing you can do about it." Dad nodded in finality, and turned a concerned eye over to his son.

I nodded petulantly, watching with wide eyes as Mum ushered Hugo out of the house. Every so often he would bend over and hurl his guts out.

We all Apparated straight to London – Hugo with side-along with Mum – and spent the night at St. Mungo's.

Needless to say Mum had to physically restrain me the next morning when I found out that Hugo had simply eaten a three decade old Puking Pastile on a dare from Louis.

The stupid prats.

I was still furious with him two days later as we lined up in front of the fireplace floo back to Hogwarts.

After kissing my mother and hugging my father, I clambered into the fire, shouting, "Hogwarts!" Immediately I tucked my elbows in and tried not to breathe in too much ash. As soon as I realized I was slowing down, I took a step and somewhat gracefully clambered out of Professor Longbottom's fireplace. "Hello, Professor," I greeted cordially, already moving to the door. Merlin, I needed to see Scorpius and explain.

"Had a good Christmas, Rose?" asked Professor Longbottom, looking up from his papers.

"Er, yeah. See you tomorrow, sir!" I called hurriedly behind me, yanking open the door and setting off at a brisk trot toward the Entrance Hall. That was where he had to be, I reasoned as I dashed down staircases and through hidden passageways. He would be meeting up with friends, sharing holiday stories. That was where everyone met up, after all. I just hoped he wasn't too angry at me. I mean, I had a legitimate excuse, after all. It wasn't _my_ fault that my little brother was a complete and utter moron.

Breathing heavily, I ran down the last staircase and into the Entrance Hall. I eagerly scanned the faces around me as I tried to smooth down my hair before anyone spotted me. After a long minute, I saw his blond head, several inches taller than those people around him. He had his back to me, and seemed to be entertaining a group of seventh year Slytherins. Smiling widely, I started to make my way over to him. However, several metres away I stopped dead in my tracks.

I watched, horrified, as Scorpius plucked Jade Li out of the crowd of onlookers and began snogging her like there was no tomorrow.

I felt my chest constrict painfully as all the breath vanished from my lungs. I could hear the blood thundering in my ears and my knees had once again turned to rubber, although it was not nearly as pleasant as last time. I stood rooted to the spot for a moment, trying to take it all in, before I abruptly turned on my heel and fled, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

It was only as I slammed the dormitory door behind me and sank to the floor that I realised that heartbreak was positively _awful._


	6. Mendacity

**A/N: So, so, so sorry for the wait between updates! this took forever to write, but the next one should be faster because it's pretty much mapped out in my head already. Sadly I cannot say the same for the rest of the plot. It's still totally up in the air.**

**1/11/10: I'm almost done with the next chapter, so *_Check Back Next Sunday*_**

* * *

"Wow, Rose, you look like hell," Hugo said, voice full of wonder as he caught sight of me in the Great Hall the next morning. "Merlin, what happened to _you?"_

"I see you inherited all of Uncle Ron's tact," Louis said disparagingly, giving Hugo a look. "But really, Rosie, what's wrong?" He swept a concerned eye over my slightly dishevelled appearance.

"Nothing," I muttered, smoothing down the worst of the frizzy sections of my hair away from my face, "Didn't sleep well."

I sighed and sat down. Last night was absolutely dreadful. I think I fell asleep sometime around three, meaning that I spent four hours tossing and turning in my bed. Every damn time I closed my eyes I pictured _them_ snogging. Again and again, it replayed in my mind until I wanted to scream. It was like one of those bad adverts on the telly that kept popping up every five minutes while Grandma Miranda and Grandpa Henry were trying to watch the news when we were over at their house in Australia last summer. And then I remembered that this jealously and anger was entirely unjustified, as _we_ had never shared anything exclusive. For all I knew, he had forgotten about it entirely. It wasn't like he hasn't snogged half of Hogwarts by now; what did little old me factor into his conquests? I probably made little more than a bleep on his sneakoscope. It wasn't like the Hogsmeade invites were lining up at my door, after all. I mean, I have had boyfriends and a couple of drunken hook ups, but they never amounted to anything. Not like _him_, who had a new girlfriend every other week.

"Nightmare?" Al asked, leaning away from his conversation with April to face me.

"Yeah," I said slowly, grabbing a piece of toast and loading up my plate with various other foods, "Couldn't sleep."

Over to my right, my best mate Natalie tilted her head to the side as she inspected my face. "Too stressed over the first day of lessons?" she asked shrewdly.

"Yeah," I lied after a moment, shoving a bit of toast into my mouth.

"Aren't we all?" Al asked rhetorically. By his side, April nodded vigorously in agreement.

"I know I am," a voice said behind me.

Really, it was a mark of how exhausted I was that I didn't jump about a foot in the air. My heart skipped a beat, though. Of course _he _had to come along when I looked like a bleeding train wreck. Seriously, I didn't even brush my hair this morning, instead I just pulled it into a messy bun and I was completely makeup free. I probably looked as bad as Scorpius usually made me out to be.

"Scorpius!" Al exclaimed loudly. "Hey, haven't seen you for ages, mate. How's it going?"

Scorpius raised a supercilious eyebrow. "We saw each other three days ago."

Al shrugged. "Whatever."

He chuckled softly. "It's good. Nice to be back, and all."

"How's Jade?" piped up April.

I scowled as I poured myself a glass of pumpkin juice. Natalie threw me an astonished look as she noticed my hand shaking as I set the pitcher back down on the table. I imperceptibly shook my head at her, warning her not to ask.

She raised her eyebrows.

I shook my head again.

Sighing, she turned back to her bacon and eggs.

"Woah, Weasley," Scorpius said, catching sight of me, "Going for the homeless, I-can't-afford-a-comb-not-to-mention-a-bed, look? It's a serious statement, I'll give you that."

"Bugger off," I grumbled.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" he asked, squeezing between myself and my brother to peer into my face thoughtfully.

"Nothing."

Scorpius's eyes narrowed as he inspected my face closely.

To my absolute horror, I felt a blush start to spread across my cheeks at his intense scrutiny. I nervously went back to my breakfast, every once in a while shooting furtive looks out of the corner of my eye at the sole Slytherin at the Gryffindor table. After a few seconds of serious concentration, he reached over me for the nearby plate of scones, and I felt his arm brush imperceptibly against my chest.

It sent tingles all over my body.

I quickly scooted backwards, nearly falling off the bench in my haste to avoid his arm as he drew it back.

"Woah, Rose," he said in a surprised voice, automatically reaching out to stabilize me with his well honed Seeker reflexes. Unfortunately as his hand grasped my upper arm, he dropped his scone. Once he had established that I had regained my clearly nonexistent balance, he scowled lightly at the floor, bending over to pick up his dropped pastry. "Rosie, now look what you made me do," he chided, setting it down next to his plate on the table with a forlorn look on his face.

"Not my fault you drop things, Malfoy," I retorted, straightening my robes huffily.

Scorpius raised his eyebrows at my abrasive tone. "Really Rose, this coming from the girl I just saved from a potentially embarassing fall on her arse in front of the entire school?"

"Shove it, Malfoy," I said shortly.

"I nobly sacrificed my scone to ensure that you didn't receive a serious, probably fatal injury. I believe I deserve some sort of reward for my good behaviour. Like another scone." He gave me a significant look before his eyes drifted longingly to the plate of scones that had now travelled several meters down the Gryffindor table during the incident.

I glared at him. "You mean, you clumsily dropped your rather girlish breakfast choice on the floor, and are blaming me because I was forced to dodge your fist as it came barrelling my way, hell bent on getting that once measly scone?" I said waspishly.

He blinked. "I rather liked my version better," Scorpius said huffily. "And I resent that insult to my favourite breakfast food," he added, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head firmly.

"Oh, was little old Rosie being mean to the big bad Slytherin boy?" I sneered, stabbing a sausage with my fork with unnecessary force.

"Merlin, Rose, I was just joking," he said, eyes widening at my response.

I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, various Weasleys assembled," called Scorpius to the table in general. "What's got Rosie extra pissy today?"

"Not enough sleep last night, apparently," Natalie said sceptically.

"Yeah," seconded Louis.

Scorpius turned back to me, and his grey eyes quickly roved over my face once again. "You'll be alright for a Head's meeting after dinner today?" he asked quietly, "I can reschedule, you know."

He was so sweet.

"I need to spend some extra time with Jade anyway."

Fucking wanker.

"I'll be conscious," I said shortly.

"Great. Can't have you passing out on me, Weasley. You'll be doing most of the work anyway, so you'd better be able to hold a quill at eight o'clock tonight."

"Looking forward to it," I said sourly, mock saluting him.

"Good to know someone around here shows me some respect," he drawled, nodding at my gesture. "What did Al do when we met up during the holidays? Bloody git tackled me and then tried to blame it on nargles."

Everyone laughed, except Al who looked highly affronted. "They were clouding up your aura, mate!" he said loudly, trying to keep a straight face.

"You are a liar, Albus Severus," said Scorpius flatly, giving him a significant look. "Those things do not exist, and that's why you nearly failed your Care of Magical Creatures OWL."

Al rolled his eyes, as he shook his head. "I got an A; that is nowhere near failing."

"It's an A," Scorpius repeated.

"A perfectly respectable grade," Al blustered.

"If you like being a dunderhead."

"I am not a dunderhead!" said Al hotly.

I could tell that he was about to continue arguing, but at that moment I caught April's eye. She grinned, muttered something in Al's ear and leaned back, smiling at him. I watched as Al's cheeks turned a funny shade of red, and he jumped up in his seat, all arguments with Scorpius forgotten. "Well," he said hurriedly, grinning at April, "I've got some last minute work to do. See y'later!"

A moment later April cried, "Me too!" and jumped up in her seat and to sprint after Al.

I glanced at my watch. "They have five minutes until lessons, what could they possibly be doing?"

Scorpius shot me a condescending look. "Honestly, Weasley, what do you _think_ they'll be doing? Crocheting tea cosies?"

"Obviously not," Louis said, nodding at Al's and April's vacant seats.

I sighed. "I need to go to the library and finish Patil's essay during my free period." I got up from my seat, deliberately avoiding Scorpius's eye. "See you in Transfiguration," I said to the table at large, reaching down to get my bag.

"Oh, Rose," Natalie inserted instantly, as she rose from her seat, "I'll come with. I need to give mine a once over too."

"Er, right," I said, and waited impatiently for her as she gathered her things together.

"So," she said once we were out of earshot of the Gryffindor table and walking through the Entrance Hall, "What's wrong?"

I threw her an irritated look. "Nothing." I hitched my bag higher on my shoulder and picked up my pace to the library.

"Please," she said, rolling her eyes. "You're obviously in a bad mood. What gives?"

"It's nothing," I repeated, ducking into a secret passageway behind a tapestry of two wizards duelling.

"Come on, Rose! I _have_ to know!"

"Drop it," I said tersely.

"Nope." She paused. "Is it Hugo?" she asked, looking at my face closely.

I didn't respond.

"Is it your mum?"

I continued walking in silence.

"Your dad?" she guessed.

No response.

"Merlin, is it a bloke?" she asked after a moment of deliberation.

"I find your prying excessively unnecessary," I retorted, turning around to face her as I yanked open the library door.

"Merlin, it is!" Natalie said in a shocked voice, eyes wide. "Who is he?"

I immediately shut my mouth. "Never you mind," I muttered, stalking over to a table in the corner and throwing down my bag on a chair.

"Come on, you _have_ to tell me!"

"I have to do nothing of the sort."

Natalie sat down next to me, all the while shooting me little death glares. "You are an awful friend, Rose Weasley," she muttered out of the corner of her mouth as the librarian passed by. "I hope you rot in Azkaban for your cruel and unusual torturing techniques."

"Stop being such a drama queen. I'm not torturing you," I said, turning an exasperated eye on her.

"Shows how much you know," she said darkly, pulling out a blank piece of parchment. "Rosie," she turned to face me, "Please, please, tell me who it is?"

Merlin, will she ever give up? I sighed, and ground my teeth together. "No."

"Rose!"

"No."

"Rose." She paused for a moment before resuming, "Rose...Rose...Rose..."

"What?" I burst out after a solid minute of her chanting.

"Who do you fancy?"

"Merlin, shut up!"

"Only if you tell me who you fancy," she said in a sing-song voice, grinning widely.

"No."

"Rose...Rose..."

I think I just died a little on the inside.

"You don't know him!" I lied after a moment, totally sick of her stupid information extracting methods. Merlin, anything to get her to quit irritating me. I swear, only Natalie could drive me to murder.

And Scorpius too, I guess.

"Oh," Natalie said quietly, her face falling. "So, did you meet him over the holidays?" she bounced back eagerly.

"Yeah," I said in a dull voice, resigned to her questioning. Better to just bear through until was over.

"I bet he's missing you right now," she said confidently. "Is that why you look like crap? Pining after this gentlemen friend of yours?"

"He's not missing me," I said shortly. "He has his girlfriend to keep him busy."

Natalie blinked, taking in my most recent piece of news. Frowning, she considered her answer. "Did you know this when you...er, what _did _you do?"

I threw her a severely annoyed look.

She ignored me, instead, she quirked her head to the side and leaned in a little to better hear my response.

"We snogged," I said shortly. "And yes, I did know."

Natalie's eyes grew wide and she took in my most recent words. "Rose Weasley, are you on your way to becoming a home wrecker?" She looked absurdly excited.

"No."

"Why not? You obviously fancy him."

"And he obviously fancies his fucking girlfriend," I spat out angrily.

Natalie didn't respond for a moment. Her mouth curled into a sympathetic smile. "So that's the reason you look like crap?" she asked pointedly.

"Your questions are crap," I muttered to myself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

I jabbed my quill so hard into my inkbottle that it rattled a bit on the table, spilling its contents over her piece of parchment.

"Merlin, Rose, watch it!" she exclaimed angrily, whipping out her wand and Vanishing the ink. Natalie rolled her eyes at me. "Fine. I got what I wanted, I won't bother you anymore."

A beat.

"Are you planning on seeing him again?"

I knew she couldn't last five seconds.

"Not if I can help it." Of course I was going to be meeting him at eight o'clock after dinner, but that was entirely beside the point.

"Aw Rose, are you heartbroken?" To her credit, she looked like she was making a valiant effort to appear sincerely concerned.

"I'll manage."

"Just like I do every day?" She sighed loudly, but her clearly grief-stricken moan was curiously offset by her wide grin.

"Just like you do every day," I laughed, tossing her a small smile. "Poor Louis, bloke doesn't know what he's missing." I gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Natalie laughed quietly to herself, and turned back to her essay. "Too right, he doesn't," she said in a low voice.

I snuck a peek at her face. She had her wavy brown hair pulled back in a messy braid, and her bright blue eyes were fixed on her quill. The last remnants of her smile were still playing across her features, and her cheeks were tinged with the slightest pink. I could only assume that she was thinking of Louis.

We worked for the rest of the period, mostly in silence.

"Alright," Natalie said, getting up from her seat and stretching after a solid half hour effort, "If I have to read another word about the properties of seven, it'll be too soon." She sighed. "Let's go to class, eh? We have ten minutes."

"Sure," I responded wearily, gathering my things together. "How was your holiday?" I asked as we exited the library.

"Oh it was great!" she gushed immediately, a grin spreading across her features. "I love my Muggle grandparents, they can be so funny. So clueless as to what Nathan and I get up to, but there you have it."

"And how were the Malfoys?"

She shrugged. "They were fine."

"How long did you stay at the Manor for?" I asked, turning down the Charms Corridor.

"Four days? Five? Doesn't really matter." Natalie shrugged again. "I spent most of the time with Aunt Astoria and Scorpius. Well, at least until he vanished off to Al's Annual New Year's party in Godric's Hollow. Then I got some alone time with Aunt Astoria. She's so friendly and nice." She laughed, "I can hardly imagine her producing someone like Scorpius."

I smiled. "I hear he takes over from his father in that respect."

Natalie frowned. "I guess so."

"He's not all bad," I defended quietly.

"I know you and Al think so," Natalie said slowly, "But I just don't see it. He's so... so... I don't know, cold? Distant?"

I looked at her, puzzled slightly. Yes I knew Scorpius had his aloof moments, but I never actually saw it in action. Whenever he was around me or Al, he did his damndest to be the annoying sod that we all knew and loved. Er, some of us more than most. "Really? I know he has that reputation, but he is never that way with me," I confessed.

Natalie shrugged. "He's my second cousin and all, but I hardly know the bloke. The only time I ever spend around him is either with you or Al, or at boring family functions. You seem to like him, and that's always been enough for me. Plus his mother is pretty awesome, and that makes up for Uncle Draco being so scary and all."

I laughed. "Mr. Malfoy can certainly be intimidating."

"You got that right," Natalie said, pursing her lips.

We arrived at the Ancient Runes classroom at that point, so we split up and stopped talking. I sat down next to my partner, Natalie's twin brother Nathan who was in Slytherin, and Natalie made her way to the front of the classroom to sit next to Lilac Finnegan.

The rest of the day didn't go any better than my horrendous morning. In class I mostly daydreamed of New Years Eve, idly playing with a strand of hair as my eyes glazed over. Unfortunately I ended up becoming quite hot around the collar whenever that happened. Al, who sat next to me during most of my lessons, kept shooting me curious glances, which I studiously ignored. Classes with Scorpius were the absolute worst; my eyes seemed naturally drawn to him, and I couldn't help staring at him like a mindless idiot for minutes at a time. Thankfully, he never turned around in his seat to mock the drool that was surely dripping onto my desk.

What the hell was wrong with me? I kept asking myself over, and over again as I felt my eyes skim over his broad shoulders and gleaming blonde hair.

I was going mad. There was no other answer. Fancying Scorpius Malfoy was driving me _barking mad._ Why else would I be practically stalking him with my eyes and doodling little lopsided hearts all over my parchment?

It was official: I had reached a whole other level of pathetic. Quite sad really. I was quite a precocious child, which clearly _did not last _into my teenage years.

Bah. Who needs intelligence when I can just stare at Scorpius Malfoy all day? Please. No O ever gave me as much pleasure as when Scorpius turned around in his seat to smile teasingly at me after I fumbled through answered a question last period.

Okay. So it was very smug, slightly patronizing, and more like a smirk, but I didn't care.

No, not at all.

Because I was a strong, confident, young woman who did not need a man to complete her.

...Although it sure would be nice.

Just saying.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so I'll sort out a few of my OCs.**

_April Longbottom is Neville and Hannah's daughter. I know JK Rowling is big on naming children after dead people, so I named April dually after Augusta (taking the 'month' component of her name) with the A from Neville's mother, Alice_

_Natalie's last name is Greengrass, and her father is the only cousin of Astoria Malfoy, nee Greengrass. She is a Gryffindor and has a twin brother named Nathan who's in Slytherin_

_Grangers' first names, "Miranda" and "Henry" are from the Tempest and Henry IV, respectively. I figured since they saddled Hermione with such a Shakespearean name, it was only fair that I do the same to them. I clearly chose more modern, everyday names, though._

**Guaranteed more Scorpius/Rose interactions in the next chapter!**


	7. Fallout

**14/11/10: I have the next chapter pretty much written out in its entirety, so check back _**next Saturday** _for the next one!**

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I hated him. I positively _loathed _him! What the hell was he playing at? I stomped into the Head's common room, growling the password at the portrait and almost cursing her head off when she took the absurdly long time of five seconds to swing open. Really, I will positively _kill _him if he ever crosses my path again! Stupid, womanizing, smug, arrogant, insulting-

"-Fucking unreliable, shite Head Boy," I finished aloud once I was sure no innocent first years could overhear me. I continued to mutter obscenities under my breath as I walked to my favourite armchair in the common room and plopped my bag down on the floor.

"Rose!" I heard a male voice say in a surprised voice as I stopped to breathe.

I whirled around to see the object of my mental/vocal rant looking at me from the other armchair across from my chosen seat, his eyes wide with astonishment as he took in my presence.

"What the hell?" I asked in a flat voice, eyebrows flying up to my hairline as I realized who I had intruded upon.

"Er, Rose, what are you doing here?" asked Scorpius tentatively, shutting his book and looking at me warily. However, his gaze seemed slightly reproachful.

Whatever. He so what if he heard me cursing him within an inch of his life? He deserved it anyway. "I have a free period," I explained shortly.

Scorpius had the gall to roll his eyes at me. "Yes I know that, but what are you doing _here?_ Why aren't you in the library?"

"It was too noisy," I said irritably.

"The _library?" _He smiled, but I sensed that the humour in his voice didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Yes, the library, you git," I snapped angrily, "Everyone was whispering, and giggling, and it started to annoy the shit out of me so I left."

He nodded slowly.

"Hey, Malfoy, I might ask you the same thing," I said suddenly, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "What are you doing here? And, more importantly, what kind of near fatal injury did you sustain that you couldn't make it to our _scheduled meeting_ last night in this very location?" I asked, my voice rising in volume, "Because unless you were wandless and held captive by the merpeople at the bottom of the Great Lake, I see no possible reason why it would be remotely acceptable for you to skive off our meeting!"

"Er, about that..."

"Go on," I said sarcastically, "Wow me with your fabulous story. I'm waiting and my time is limited. Chop, chop."

"Rose, look, I was-" he broke off, frowning slightly.

I pinched the bridge of my nose with my forefingers. "You were with a bird last night, weren't you?" I muttered.

"So what if I was?" Scorpius exclaimed boldly. "It's never bothered you before."

I looked up at him, shock written all over my features. "You blew me off for a snogging session?" I asked incredulously.

He didn't answer, preferring to glare at me with his steely grey eyes.

"Malfoy, look here, you can't go gallivanting off with your girlfriend-of-the week every time you feel like it!" I exclaimed.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Please, Rose. Spare me the boring lecture. I am a ponce, you are an anal rule Nazi; I get it."

"Clearly you do not!" I shouted, "If you did, then we wouldn't be having this very conversation, would we?" I finished in a superior tone, crossing my arms over chest triumphantly.

He narrowed his eyes. "I said I understood what you were saying, not that I agree with it by any means."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because it is ridiculous."

"It is perfectly reasonable!"

"Yeah sure, for someone like you who _doesn't_ have someone to snog. As for me, on the other hand, I need certain," he paused as if searching for the right word, "intimacies on a regular basis." He smirked at me.

"I-I well, I," I started, totally at a loss as to where I was trying to get with my poorly formed sentence.

"Exactly, Weasley," Scorpius pronounced gloatingly over my stutters, "You have no room to comment as you have no experience in that area whatsoever."

"I have plenty-" I started angrily, but Scorpius cut me off.

"Please, if you're talking about that bloke you met over the holidays, then you are just grasping at quills, Weasley."

"What?" I asked in a completely different tone, entirely bewildered as to what he was talking about.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "That bloke you fancy. I ran into Natalie last night and she went on and on about your newfound fucking romance."

"The bloke I fancy," I repeated in a flat voice. I had a strange desire to laugh, which I quickly quelled. Scorpius Malfoy was talking about himself and he didn't even know it.

The fanciable idiot.

"Oh I know all about you're 'pining' and how you're 'head over heels' for this mysterious bloke." He broke off into a bout of harsh laughter, and I could see outright scorn in his eyes. "Believe me, I'd never thought see the day when Rose Weasley would fall in _love,_" he practically spat the word. "But apparently she has. Congratulations." He smiled at me, but it was twisted and filled with something that looked suspiciously like hate.

I responded in kind. "Why, because it is such a foreign emotion to a cold-hearted bastard such as yourself?" I asked spitefully, raising my eyebrows dubiously.

Merlin, why did I ever imagine that he would change? Forget it, he probably saw me as weak for succumbing to such a human emotion as _love. _I was delusional. He would never see fit to _descend_ to my level. How could I ever have hoped for that?

Scorpius breathed in sharply. "Shut up, Rose. You have no idea what you're talking about," he said after a moment without looking at me.

That stung. Well, I did insult him first, after all. I supposed I deserved it.

"Anyway, as I was saying," he continued, "your whole holiday love affair does not carry any weight in our argument because you don't see him on a regular basis."

Ha!

"-However, I see Jade every day, and so you cannot possibly know about what I feel for her."

"Horny?" I cut in scornfully.

Scorpius scowled and said deliberately, "Be that as it may, you have no right."

"I can't believe you!" I said loudly, eyes widening in disbelief.

"What is the big deal, anyway?" Scorpius asked, rolling his eyes. "It isn't as if this hasn't happened before. You are overreacting."

"The big deal?" I all but shrieked. "The big deal is that you never _follow through!_ I had some expectations when we started this together, and so far you've broken every single one of them! I thought you were reliable, I thought you were trustworthy... I didn't think you could ditch me and just stand there like nothing happened!" By now I had lost all control over my temper and was just barely censoring all the words I wanted to scream at him. Words that, my I just say, had _nothing_ to do with Head Duties.

Scorpius snorted. "Merlin, Rose, you're one to talk about broken promises."

I was stunned. "What the hell are you on about, Malfoy?" I demanded heatedly.

"_You_ are the one who-" he broke off suddenly, and he gave his head a little shake as if trying to dismiss something from his thoughts.

"What?" I asked after he remained silent for a moment.

"Look, it's nothing Wealsey," he said, running a hand through his smooth blond hair. "Point is, keep your bloody uptight blather to yourself, alright?" Scorpius gave me a scathing look before turning around to leave.

"No it is not alright!" I said loudly, grabbing his wrist to keep him from leaving. "What the fuck, Malfoy," I swore. "McGonagall wants both of us to do reports. She'll get suspicious if it's my handwriting all over the parchment. Maybe I could help you with Jade, work something out between you two-"

"Look, Rose," said Scorpius, an expression of complete revulsion marring his handsome face, "I don't need your help. I don't want your help."

"But-" I said, all anger leaving my voice at once as soon as I realized what he was saying.

"No, Wealsey," he said firmly, straightening imperceptibly and jerking his hand out of my grasp, "I'm so sick and tired of you sticking your freckled nose where it doesn't belong. I know you're as smart as hell, but is it actually impossible for you to mind your own business for once?"

For a moment, I was struck dumb. I stared into his dark grey eyes, now narrowed in intense dislike, and I saw no contradiction to his words. No contradiction to my deepest fears.

I blinked and looked away. "No, not impossible," I muttered, blushing a bright red from shame. So he didn't want me in his life; he didn't want my company; he didn't want to be friends.

He didn't want... me.

"Will you try it sometime then?" he asked coldly. "I cannot stand it when you pretend that you know my relationships better than I do. Frankly it's a bit insulting that you underestimate my intelligence to such a degree."

I nodded mutely, wordlessly trying to gather my bearings. How in the world had our conversation turned into _this?_ What went wrong?

"If-if that's want, then fine." I paused. "But know, Malfoy," I said, gaining more momentum as spoke, "That I never meant any harm, and you never gave any indication that you disliked my advice. I know I am not perfect; have many bad qualities, as you so often illustrate," I scowled, "to the general amusement of the surrounding populace, but I had _hoped_ the elitist in you could look beyond that. I guess I was wrong. I will never be perfect, but just know _I did my best to be a good friend to you._ Apparently it was entirely a waste of my time, and I'll be sure to not make the same mistake twice."

Scorpius didn't respond, instead he continued to gaze at me. I stared back, defiant. In the moment of silence between us, I sensed something lurking beyond his cool grey eyes. He seemed almost conflicted, but I couldn't dwell. My confidence was fading fast, and I knew that once my temper exhausted itself, I'd be all weepy and emotional. And nobody wanted that.

Neither of us broke the silence for a solid minute after my speech. "I think we're finished here," I concluded finally, a queer, empty feeling in my chest as I recited the same words I had said countless times before. "Don't worry, I'll take care of all the paperwork, I hope you had fun with her."

I swiftly walked the two steps to where I had dropped my belongings, and silently marched out of the common room with my head held high, trying to maintain some semblance of my dignity as I exited the portrait hole.

It didn't last long. I had barely put ten paces between myself and him before the tears started making their way down my cheeks. I swiped them away angrily as I made my way across the Charms Corridor to the staircase leading to the seventh floor. Thankfully most people were still in lessons, so I ran into very few people I knew. I quickly muttered the password to the concerned looking Fat Lady, crossed the common room, and sprinted up the girl's dormitories. I pushed open the door, drew the hangings closed and sat down on my bed, blankly staring out into space.

I remained there for a while, just sitting there on my four poster in the empty dormitory. It was nice and quiet, a world apart from the heated atmosphere I left in the Head's common room.

For the first time that day, my thoughts were not occupied by our one time snog.

No, instead they circled endlessly around our first real fight in four long years.

I flopped myself down on my bed, kicking off my shoes and untying my hair so that it cushioned my head in a voluminous red cloud of curls.

No matter how many times I replayed over the scene in my head, reconciliation looked like a more and more elusive prospect. I mean, I _knew_ there was no way I could ever act normally around him, but I had still hoped that everything would have gone on as usual, what with his inherent male obtuseness that seemed to blind him to what a girl was usually thinking.

No, my glorious plan blew up spectacularly in my face in record time.

Bravo, Rose, you have singlehandedly destroyed the one relationship you value most, I thought disgustedly, the tears slipping down the corners of my eyes to fall over my ears and down into my hair. Even James Potter probably never messed up this bad.

"Shite," I cursed aloud as a new thought came to me. What was the middle Potter going to say? Undoubtedly Al would see our split as a challenge to make us back into one big happy family again. And of course, as Scorpius would say, no Gryffindor ever backs down from a challenge, no matter how stupid and/or pointless the cause – in fact, the stupider the better, Scorpius would add before dodging Al's pointy elbow, hell bent on attacking his ribs.

Ha, Al, I thought sourly, I don't think that any amount of spellotape or permanent sticking charms can help us now.

_I don't need your help_. The command echoed around my head, repeating over and over with the appalling combination of scorn and condescension in a tone that only Scorpius could deliver. One that I hadn't heard in nearly four years.

_I don't need your help._

Okay then, I could give him exactly what he asked for. I mean, what was I supposed to do, annoy him even more? No, the best route would be to follow his instructions and avoid him at all costs. I would not go out of my way to give him advice; I would not go out of my way to talk to him; in fact, I would not even acknowledge his existence.

I turned over on my stomach and suddenly felt a small sharp prick right below my neck. I propped myself up onto my elbows and reached an idle hand up to feel my new emerald necklace. Fingering it gently, I was suddenly struck by everything.

And I mean _everything._

The boy I fancied hated me. He positively _loathed _me. Abruptly the image of Scorpius with his expression of disgust flashed through my mind, and I felt a fresh wave of tears well up. I gave a small sniffle as I tried vainly to keep them in.

Merlin! I was going to die alone. All alone and probably with a million cats.

Damn my cat allergies! What did that matter; I'm pretty sure that my overdeveloped sense of poetic irony would override my practical side any day. My future was beginning to look very grim indeed.

Blame my mother and her secret stash of crappy Muggle romance novels.

Still the matter still stood that I was facing a life of eternal loneliness and itchy eyes. Really, right now it seemed just like hell only with hairballs and kitty litter.

Did that not sound like eternal torment? I think it did.

I continued to fiddle with my necklace, twisting it this way and that.

What right did Scorpius have to say all those things to me anyway? Abruptly a surge of righteous anger coursed through my veins. It was his entire fault anyway, him and his too-good-to-be true snogs. Got a girl expecting radical, impossible things. This whole emotional meltdown of mine was _entirely his fault._ I mean, wasn't it Scorpius who led me on? He never pulled away; he never said a word of protest while we were snogging. How was I supposed to react? Just pretend that nothing happened, like he clearly could?

It plainly baffled me. How could he possibly act like everything was normal?

_Because that sort of thing was normal for him_, I instantly answered my question. My heard stopped in my chest. He snogged girls all the time. How could I ever have deluded myself that I was anything special to him?

Damn him.

I tugged at the necklace that Scorpius had given me, jerking it so hard that the clasp broke, and in a fit of anger, threw it across the room.

As I sat there on my bed, staring at the space where the jewellery had fallen, all of my fury seemed to drain from me.

I was being ridiculous and childish, what so often happens when I get too emotional. Okay, so my heart was broken, what right did that give me to throw things across the room?

Blinking away the last of my tears, I slowly got up from my bed and bent down to pick the silver chain back up. I held it at eye level and inspected it closely.

The clasp was definitely broken. I whipped out my wand and muttered, _"Reparo," _watching as the chain mended itself. I moved to reattach it on my neck, and then stopped halfway.

Was it appropriate for me to wear his present when we were no longer friends?

I couldn't help thinking that he wouldn't appreciate my parading of gifts around the castle. Of course he would never openly call me out, but I'm sure that he would not be pleased. The worst he could do would be to glare at me as I had seen him do so often to his ex-girlfriends who continued to wear his old scarf or Slytherin sweater that she stole while they were still together. Still, I thought wryly, his eyes were certainly cutting when he wanted them to be. They were enough to rip my heart to shreds, after all.

On second thought, maybe I wouldn't wear it. I lowered my hands, and stared at the necklace. It winked back at me in the torchlight, green and glittery.

Oh sod it all, I could wear anything I pleased. I was Rose Wealsey, Head Girl and top of her class. Who was I to be scared of Scorpius Malfoy?

For the second time, I raised the necklace and then lowered it. It still didn't feel right.

Suddenly an idea came to me. I pointed my wand at my necklace for a second time and cast an elongating charm. I smiled slightly as the chain grew in front of my eyes. I lifted the charm once I was satisfied with the length, and finally fastened the necklace where it belonged. The emerald pendant slipped underneath my school sweater and oxford shirt and out of sight.

What Scorpius didn't know couldn't hurt him, after all.

I walked back to my bed, pleased, and resumed my musings. My sighed as I remembered how well things were going just a few days ago.

What was that he told me?

Suddenly my mind was called back to that scene at my kitchen table, that moment two weeks ago that now seemed ages gone.

His eyes were happy, I remembered with a twinge of nostalgia. "It's not like I'll be chucking _you_ before Valentine's Day," he had teased.

Well, it looked like he had spoken a month too soon, hadn't he?

**

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**

A/N: A couple of people have been saying that they're confused as to what the hell Scorpius is thinking while he acts like a total idiot concerning Rose. Most people are loving my Scorpius but hate his actions and constantly criticise him for it, so I was thinking about writing this whole story from his perspective. Of course I'd write it after _**Compliments**_** was finished as to not spoil anything.**

**Would any of your readers read it? Please reply!**


	8. Communication

**Disclaimer: Oh my, haven't done one of these in a while. As I cannot speak in an English accent to save my life (just talk to the foreign exchange student at my school who is left in stitches every time I attempt such a feat), as I am near broke and I am still in high school, I am not JK Rowling and do not own Harry Potter. I just wish I do.**

**29/11/10 **NOTICE** Okay guys, I know I PMed some of you and told you that you could expect an update next weekend - _This will not happen - _I'm sorry, but I just realized exactly how much work I have to do in the next couple of weeks, and I'm completely swamped! Sorry!**

* * *

"Rose Weasley!" I heard someone say loudly above me.

Well, as loudly as he could get in the library, at any rate.

I winced at the sound of his voice and immediately returned to my abandoned essay with a newfound ferocity. "I'm busy," I said shortly.

I continued to scratch out hastily written and poorly formed sentences, deliberately ignoring the waves of irritation practically emanating from my cousin standing behind me. "Rose," he repeated after a moment, "We need to talk."

"In a bit."

"Now," commanded Al, pulling out a chair next to me. "What the bloody hell is going on, Rose?" I could tell he was squirming around in his seat, trying to get my attention.

"Nothing," I said while studiously avoiding his piercing gaze.

"Don't give me that," Al scoffed, "I want to know what happened between you and Scorpius last week. You nearly sprinted away from us this morning when we spotted you in the Entrance Hall," he finished angrily.

"I don't want to talk about it," I responded crossly. "It's none of your business."

"Of course it is!" he burst out. He took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. "I just want to know why my two best mates won't talk to each other," he explained in an even voice.

"It's nothing, Al," I said wearily, leaning back in my chair and giving in. I looked him square in the eye. "We had a fight," I said blandly.

"Over what?" he asked instantly.

"Head Duties." I shrugged.

"Oh no, you're not getting rid of me that easy," Al said stubbornly. "There is no way in hell you two split over Head Duties." He nodded his head in finality.

I grimaced and wrinkled my nose. "We didn't 'split,' Al. We had a falling out. It happens."

"Not to two people who so obviously–" He broke off, looking guilty.

I tilted my head to the side, giving Al an inquisitive glance. "Obviously… what?"

"Nothing," said Al hurriedly.

"Really, Al, why should I make up with Scorpius?" I asked him exasperatedly.

"He," Al paused, unsure of how to voice his thoughts, "He-he cares deeply for you Rose," he admitted finally, dropping his gaze.

I shook my head jerkily. "No he doesn't," I whispered. "Else this whole disaster wouldn't have happened."

"He does," maintained Al, raising his green eyes to meet mine. "Just please talk to him, okay?" he pleaded.

"No thank you, I've been insulted enough for one lifetime." I turned back to my essay.

"Rose," Al tried again after a moment, "He feels really torn up about what he said to you. Just… just…"

"Just what?" I demanded. "Just go up to him and say, 'Oh I'm sorry for being such an interfering know-it-all, and please tolerate my presence for the sake of my idiotic cousin who is clearly touched in the head?'"

"I am _not_ touched in the head, Rose Weasley," Al muttered angrily, casting a wary eye at the librarian skulking near us, replacing dusty volumes on their shelves.

"Sure you are, if you believe Scorpius and I could ever be friends," I said heatedly. Really, it was entirely his fault after all. Who had come up with the swell idea for a Wealsey and a Malfoy to get friendly? It sure as hell wasn't my father. Or Louis. Or Hugo. Or any other of my male Wealsey relatives. No, that brilliant piece of genius came from the one and only Albus Severus Potter and his life's ambition to see everyone happy and healthy at the expense of their mental sanity.

"But you were friends!" Al said instantly. "For _years!"_

"Pfft. Only three."

"Okay, so three years of a solid friendship, and you're ready to give it up over a silly little argument over, what was your made up excuse again, Head Duties?" Al threw me a sceptical look over the rims of his round glasses.

"That sounds about right."

"That's lame, even for you."

"You know what, Al? I don't care right now."

"Merlin Rose, what will it take for you to apologise?"

That was it. "_Me… apologise?" _I screeched. "_Ha!"_

"Miss Weasley! Mr. Potter! Please exit the library this instant for disorderly conduct! Out! Now!"

"Oh dammit. Look what you made me do!" I burst out furiously, rounding on my cousin who was currently cowering under the death glare the librarian was sending his way.

Melrin, what a baby.

"Miss Weasley, did you hear me? You are to leave the library immediately!"

"I'm going, I'm going," I muttered to myself, gathering up my things and following the hunched figure of my cousin as he vanished out the doors. I shoved everything haphazardly into my bag and stormed out of the library, ignoring all the stares from the students I passed by.

"Rose! Hey Rose! Wait up!" Al called as I threw open the library doors and stomped off without waiting for him.

"Bugger off, Al. I want to be alone."

"And I want James to move to Antarctica and send me back a penguin, but we can't always get what we want, can we?" mused Al with raised eyebrows.

"Shut it."

"Again, not going to happen just because you want it to."

I sighed and prayed to Merlin that I would have the strength to not Avada Kedavra my cousin.

"Al, leave it be," I demanded.

"I will not! I want to know what happened!"

"Well, you can't always get what you want."

"I just walked right into that one, didn't I?" he said, looking genuinely annoyed with himself.

"You sure did," I retorted calmly.

"Aw screw it. Rose, tell me why you and Scorpius are no longer speaking!"

"No I won't, because it is _none_ of your business, Albus!"

"Oh, using the full name on me? Rose, I do believe you're quite serious," he said, smirking slightly.

"Since when has snark become your default language, Al?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"Ever since I've been forced to spend my time with Scorpius because you seem to feel some highly mysterious urge to flee the scene every time I approach you," Al quipped instantly, rolling his eyes and following me out of the castle and toward the lake.

"Hey," he said suddenly, looking around. "Why the hell are we outside? It's bloody freezing out here!" He quickly whipped out his wand and cast a warming charm over himself.

"Well, I was hoping that you were smart enough to stay inside where it was nice and a reasonable temperature, but I see that my assumptions were completely erroneous."

Al ignored the jab at his intelligence. "Now, Rose, good." He glanced around, and the corners of his mouth lifted up into a smile. "We're all alone. Won't you spill the every flavour beans, dear cousin of mine?"

"No can't do, Albie," I maintained stubbornly, sitting down under a tree and staring out over the icy water.

"Don't call me that," he said quickly.

"Fine. Don't ask stupid questions, then."

"They're not stupid, Rosie Posey."

"Merlin Al, sometimes you can be even more annoying than James!"

Al looked highly offended. "You can't mean that," he said, jerking backward from me in horror.

I snorted. "Of course I do. Now, stop with the interrogation!" I turned away from him.

Al shrugged, and his emerald eyes flashed. "Tell me what happened!"

"No."

He slapped a hand to his forehead. "Really, sometimes you're even more stubborn than Lily. At least I can threaten Mr. Snugglepants with her, but with you I have no leverage."

"Pity."

Okay, now I was getting a bit cold. So maybe coming out into the grounds and subjecting myself to wind-chill and bone numbing temperatures was not the _brightest_ idea in the world. My mind was busy elsewhere on valuable things like the cons of cousin-icide, if that even exists. So sue me. I quickly pulled out my wand and muttered a warming charm, directing the light at my torso, fingers and toes.

I grinned slightly as the feeling returned to my extremities.

"Rose?" he tried again.

"Drop it, Al," I muttered.

"No. I've only got Scorpius's side of things. I just need yours!"

"Look Al," I said, turning to him and glaring, "I don't feel like sharing right now, so _back the hell off!"_

Al looked a little taken aback at the anger radiating from me. "Merlin, Rose. I was just trying to help!" he said defensively, green eyes narrowing as he took in my reaction.

"Yeah, well, _I don't need your help."_

"Funny, that's exactly what Scorpius said," said Al pensively.

I blinked and looked away. "Yes, yes it was," I said slowly, for the thousandth time remembered when he spoke those words to me too. I bit my lip as I felt the slight pricking of tears gather behind my eyes.

Al sighed and looked at me thoughtfully. "Look Rose, please tell me what's going on. I swear I'll leave you alone if you just tell me!"

"Al, can you please, _please_ stop bothering me?" I begged.

"Sorry. Not possible, as Hugo can attest, younger siblings must annoy all older siblings," Al said smartly.

"Of course you must," I sighed.

"So…?" Al prompted.

I shot him a withering look before starting, "Look Al, this is for you and you alone. Don't go gossiping about me to April, to Louis, to _anybody, _and I swear on Grandma Weasley's legendary knitting needles that you will wake up dead tomorrow morning if you so much as whisper the name Scorpius in my presence ever again," I hissed.

"Merlin, Rose, aren't you being a bit dramatic?" Al asked, trying and failing to reign in a smile.

"I am not!"

"Er, sure, Rose. Whatever."

"This is not a _whatever_ matter, Albus Severus!" I snapped instantly.

Al laughed and shook his head at me. "Fire away then, Rose. I'm all ears."

I glared at my bespectacled cousin in front of me. "Okay, so we fought over Head duties-"

Al rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"-Because he was off gallivanting with Jade while he should have been creating a patrol timetable for the prefects." I flopped down on the frostbitten grass, preferring to stare up at the clear blue sky than the penetrating emerald eyes of my cousin. "Anyway, then we both started yelling, and I guess it escalated from there." I sighed.

Al looked less than pleased with my explanation. "And that has you avoiding each other like the plague?"

"We did say some pretty awful things to each other," I admitted. "I called him a cold hearted bastard, or something to that effect."

There was a pause, and then Al asked tentatively, "And what did he call you in return, Rosie?"

"Nothing," I muttered, fiddling with a strand of hair. "It doesn't matter. Look, suffice to say we're not going to make up anytime soon, so you should just stop trying, Al."

"I just don't get it," Al said quietly, almost to himself. "How could he do something like this to _you_, of all people?"

I chuckled humourlessly. "And you call us girls confusing."

"Huh," was all Al said. On the ground, I turned my head and saw him frowning to himself. "Rosie, really, you don't think there's any possible way-"

I sat up again, ignoring the slight head rush. "No," I said curtly, "Scorpius and I just don't work together, and you'll just have to live with that."

Al shook his head. "I don't believe you. He breaks rules all the time and bails on you. What made this time special?"

"I was sick and tired of him doing it all the time is all."

"Bullshit, Rose."

"He's been doing it since term began!"

"And it's exactly what you expected of him; you told me so yourself, right after he got his letter last summer. Something about how you were resigning to doing all the work."

What was he, a bloody elephant?

I gaped at him, totally lost for words.

"So, I repeat, what made this time special?" demanded Al again.

"I can't have my breaking point?" I asked him, eyebrows raised.

He threw me a sceptical look. "Rose, I've seen you reach many breaking points where Scorpius is concerned over the years, but not once have you ever outright stopped speaking. Instead you would yell and curse at each other in the hallways and make up in detention later. No, this was something different, and I want to know why." While he spoke, his eyes roved over my face, trying to discern some kind of reaction.

"Al…" I said slowly, feeling very exposed under his piercing stare. Honestly, he reminded me of Uncle Harry when he was interrogating some suspect. It was very disconcerting.

"You fancy him, don't you?" said Al slowly, pulling back and looking very satisfied with himself.

"What! No!" I denied vehemently, shaking my head forcefully.

"You do," he said shrewdly, the corner of his mouth quirking up into a smile. "You want him," he continued, smirking slightly.

"_I do not!"_ I nearly shouted. I immediately slapped both hands over my mouth in horror.

"'Methinks the lady doth protest too much,'" Al quoted, a wicked grin spreading all over his stupidly smug face.

I sighed. "Since when did you learn Shakespeare?" I bemoaned.

Al shrugged. "Aunt Hermione gave me a couple of plays to read two Christmases ago."

"Why on earth would Mum give you Shakespeare?"

"I might have stated loudly in her presence that I needed pickup lines for girls," he said sheepishly.

I smiled. "So she gave you _Hamlet?"_

Al shrugged. "The complete works."

"I am personally inclined toward _Romeo and Juliet."_

Al smiled. "Of course you are. You are a girl, after all."

I rolled my eyes. "Merlin, stereotypical much?"

"I am not- wait. No, you're distracting me, Rose Weasley." He glared at me sternly. "Going back to Scorpius, _you fancy him."_

"I do not," I said firmly.

"You do."

"Do not."

"Do."

"Do not."

"Do."

"Shut up Al!"

He laughed. "What, denial getting too much to bear, Rosie Posey?"

"I'm not in denial!"

Well, that was an outright, outrageous lie.

"What will it take for you to admit you fancy the pants off him?"

"Nothing. Because I don't."

"Nuh uh, I saw you after Christmas. You went completely bonkers when you thought he forgot about you," argued Al.

Damn.

"Well, who wouldn't be offended? We were best friends," I said after a moment of thought.

Al didn't look convinced.

Bloody astute bugger should just go and snog April's face off and stop bothering me.

"Right…" he said after a moment. "I don't believe you, Rose Weasley. You fancy him, and nothing you say will convince me otherwise."

Suddenly Al's face lit up as some idea came to him.

I was instantly suspicious. Ideas + Albus Severus = Unhappy Rose

Always. It was, like, an unspoken rule.

Exhibit A: Scorpius Malfoy.

"So, you would have no reaction if I hypothetically told you Scorpius has been lusting after you for the past three years?" asked Al slyly.

"Nope," I said shortly. Merlin, I was _not_ liking where this conversation was going.

"You're positive?"

"Nope," I repeated, but my voice wavered.

"Aha!" Al exclaimed. "You _do_ fancy him!"

I sighed. He was the most persistent wizard in the _world._ Lesser men would have given up by now, for sure.

Yeah, it sure sucked to be part of his family.

"No, I do not fancy Scorpius Malfoy, Albus, and I'd be extremely appreciative if you would _cease and desist_ making up absurd conclusions based on illogical and unfounded theories that you fabricated in their entirety," I said swiftly.

Al smirked at me. "That was damn near a confession, Rose Weasley. You only get all long word-y and use complicated grammar rules to confuse your opponent as a last resort!"

I gaped at him.

"I'm so close, I can almost taste it," he continued, grinning to himself.

"Fucking hell, Al. You have no bloody idea what you're talking about. I exhibit no such characteristics and am tremendously curious as to what exactly enlightened you to this completely erroneous conclusion!"

"I believe you just proved my point," said Al breezily.

"You are positively the most nefarious, heinous, person I have ever encountered in my seventeen years of being!"

"Come on Rose, you know you want to tell me…" Al drifted off suggestively. "Unless I should go and discuss with Scorpius my completely 'erroneous conclu-' "

I couldn't even speak, I was so outraged. "Bloody hell, Albus!" I interrupted him loudly. "What do you want me to say? That I fancy him? Of course I fancy him! Happy now?"

It should be illegal for someone to look as smug as my cousin did right now.

"Extremely," he said after a moment, smiling from ear to ear.

I desperately fought the urge to punch the bloody git in the face.

"Albus, promise you will not breathe a word of this to _anyone._ Especially him," I whispered imploringly.

Al studied me for a second, considering my request. "Okay," he said slowly, "But really, Rose, you should tell him yourself."

"I'd rather not," I said abruptly.

"Aw Rose, I'll even go with you! Moral support, and what not. Isn't that what family's for?"

I scowled and crossed my arms over my chest. "No," I said firmly, "You will just use the opportunity for blackmail material later. I am not an idiot, Albus."

"No, you're just blind," Al muttered to himself.

"What was that?" I asked, frowning.

"Nothing!"

"Al," I began in a warning voice, but I stopped once I realised his attention was focused somewhere over my left shoulder.

I turned, and the rest of my sentence died on my lips.

"Albus," Scorpius said smoothly, his eyes deliberately ignoring mine.

"Hey Potter," said Jade calmly from next to him.

Al paused, his green eyes shifting back and forth from his best mate to me and back again. "Hi Scorpius… Jade," he said after a moment.

Jade looked away from Al, and instead turned to me. "Hi Weasley," she said brightly, smiling radiantly.

I swear, I was _this close _from jumping up and bitch slapping that girl from here to Hong Kong. Luckily my warming charm had worn off at this point, and so my legs were totally numb from the knees down.

So, no jumping for Rose anytime soon.

Blast!

I satisfied myself by glaring in her direction, all the while telepathically sending her messages like, "Go die a horrible and painful death," and "Smile at me again and you will die an even more horrible and painful death," and then, "If you so much as breathe in my direction, I will rip you apart limb from limb."

"So, Weasley," Jade continued, completely unfazed by less than warm welcome, "What have you been up to?"

Well she clearly did not get the message.

"Nothing special," I said stiffly.

"Oh, that's too bad," she said cheerily.

_I WILL KILL YOU!_

"Scorpius and I are going to Hogsmeade next weekend."

_DIE! DIE! DIE!_

I forced my face into a smile. "I have a Transfiguration exam the Monday after, so I planned to stay in the castle and study."

Jade shrugged. "I was never that great at it, so I dropped it last year in favour of Care of Magical Creatures."

_WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO ME WHEN I SO OBVIOUSLY HATE YOU?_

"Oh, er, I guess it takes some getting used to. It's a hard class," I said, watching Scorpius out of the corner of my eye. He seemed to be wordlessly communicating with Al.

Huh.

I'd better ask my cousin for tips later as I was so obviously failing at my endeavours with Jade.

"Yeah," Jade sighed. "Anyway, Scorp and I just wanted to check on Al, but I guess you two will talk later?" She sent a questioning glance at the pair of them, who looked innocently back at her.

"Er, sure," Scorpius said slowly, tearing his gaze away from Al to look at his girlfriend.

Al got up, brushing grass from the seat of his robes. "Rose, I got class in fifteen minutes, but I want some time to restore the feeling to my fingers. See you in Potions."

"What?" I asked, blinking up at him. "Okay, Al, whatever."

"Great," he muttered. He nodded at the pair of Slytherins, and then practically sprinted away from me back to the castle.

It was only when I was left staring at this retreating back, that I realised the bloody prat had left me alone with Scorpius and Jade!

_THERE ARE NO WORDS FOR HOW DEAD YOU WILL BE, ALBUS SEVERUS!_

Hmph. He didn't react to my telepathic message either, if the fleeting grin he threw me before disappearing into the castle was any indication.

Bah, Rose, you suck at this, I thought sourly.

"Fuck," I muttered aloud.

"What was that?" asked Jade, looking pleasantly delighted at my slip of the tongue.

"Nothing," I said quickly, burying my head in my hands. I looked back up at her. "Just having a bad day's all."

She looked at me sympathetically, but her mouth was still smiling slightly.

Ugh. Slytherins were all too _creepy._

"Oh well, I hope it gets better," she said, casting a conspiratorial glance at Scorpius, who still remained as silent as ever by her side. "Anyway, we'd better get going," she said, twining her arm around his and leading him away.

I stared unabashedly at the pair of them and watched with sick fascination as he stood aside like a gentleman to let Jade go in the castle first and I couldn't help shouting at the top of my mental lungs:

_I LOVE YOU._

But of course, instead of the managing a successful communication, I blew up an inkwell that had fallen out of my bag.

Great, just great, I thought as I wiped ink spots off my nose.

_WHY AM I SUCH A FAILURE AT LIFE?_


	9. Infatuation

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait between updates. Really, a month is unacceptable, and I sincerely apologize. I've just had the worst week ever: low test grades, a rejection from college... the list goes on.  
**

**Hopefully the length makes up for the long wait, 2nd longest chapter to date!  
**

* * *

"Oof," I breathed, stumbling slightly, as I tried to regain my balance after walking straight into some unfortunate student.

Suddenly a pair of strong arms reached out to prevent me from falling over.

I looked up, words of apology on the tip of my tongue. I quickly swallowed them again as I continued to stare into a pair of steely grey eyes.

"Rose," Scorpius said quietly, releasing me as if burned and stepping away.

I remained silent and averted my eyes.

What was I supposed to do? After nearly a month of not being friends, what was the proper procedure for people like us?

Just what the hell were we, anyway?

Well, apart from besotted idiot and oblivious moron. Obviously.

Strangers?

No, we had been best friends for three years, after all.

Mild acquaintances?

See note for "strangers."

Enemies?

"Scorpius," I said flatly.

He looked like he was about to speak but then seemed to think better of it. "Watch where you're going, next time," he said brusquely, turning away and walking down the corridor.

Okay, it wasn't the cruelest thing he had ever said to me, but he was just so _cold_. It hurt.

I sighed and continued on my way, my feet feeling heavier than ever. I trudged up the last flight of stairs and entered the portrait hole. Looking around, I quickly realised that the common room was mostly empty, save for a handful of second years gossiping by the window, two sixth years playing Exploding Snap near the base of the spiral staircases, and Al, reading his battered copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_ by the fire. I sat down by one of the tables on the far side of the room and began to work. It wasn't long before my mind started to wander and my homework lay forgotten in front of me.

Alright, so I had realised a couple of weeks ago that Scorpius and I were really and truly no longer friends, but it still cut deep into my heart whenever I thought about what we could have had.

Everything was just so _wrong._ I mean, Scorpius and I weren't speaking, Al was glaring at me at every opportunity he could find, and Natalie was trying to the best of her ability to keep my mood happy, but since I was keeping her in the dark as to what was really bothering me, she really had no idea what to do. And me? I was throwing myself harder than ever into my school work. My social life, although never a top priority, had dropped to almost nothing. I had even stopped working in the library as I ran into _him_ by my favourite study table almost every time I could. Instead, I began to work in my dormitory, casting a silencing charm around my bed and revising late into the night.

I basically became a hermit, save my lessons.

And guess what? Being a hermit...

Kind of sucked.

Big time.

"Bloody hell," I muttered to myself, watching, as for the fourth time in fifteen minutes, Al turned around in his seat next to the fire and sent a harsh glare my way.

He was _still_ mad at me. _AFTER_ _THREE WEEKS, WILL THAT BOY NEVER LET IT GO?_

Of course not. Al was still, er, _distressed_ that I had not told Scorpius that I fancied him and so had recently taken up ignoring me while surreptitiously sending me sidelong belligerent glances in the hope that isolation would get me to crack.

Hey Al, hasn't worked so far, m'dear coz!

Haha!

Merlin, I needed to get out more.

I went up to my dormitory shortly after that, calling it an early night and sleeping shortly afterward.

Of late my dreams had become especially horrible, taunting me with forbidden impossibilities and leaving me sweaty and tangled in my sheets the next morning. Ever since our fight, my dreams had focused solely on Scorpius. Needless to say, I could no longer be in the same room as him without becoming an embarrassing shade deep red and stuttering like an idiot. It was just that every time I looked at him or heard his voice, it was impossible _not_ to remember him shirtless, moaning my name softly into my ear and ripping my clothes off with wild abandon atop some random surface.

Yes, I had it bad. So very_, very_ bad.

The next day, I awoke feeling a little disoriented. It was a while before I had enough sense to get up and get dressed. Consequently, I was a little late to breakfast, and Al and the rest were already gossiping over half-finished plates when I arrived.

"Rosie!" Natalie chimed as soon as she spotted me entering the Great Hall, "Toast?"

She held up a plate to me while making room for me along the table between herself and Hugo.

"Sure," I said, smiling as I took a piece.

Everyone chorused greetings a moment later, except for Al, who merely grunted in response to my presence.

I barely refrained myself from sticking my tongue out at him. Honestly, he was being so _juvenile_ that it made me want to shake some of his nonsense out of him_,_ but I would not sink to his level_. _No, I would be strong!

I would remain vigilant! Vigilant, I said! Vigil-

I threw my piece of toast at his head.

Erm. Well. That lasted about four seconds.

Al didn't react for a moment, but eventually he turned around to glare at me with such ferocity, that I had a strong suspicion that he was trying to Avada me just with his eyes. Either that or he was challenging me to a staring contest.

Well Al, I accept your nonverbal proposal for the most intense staring contest known to wizard kind, see if I don't!

"Rose, what the bloody hell was that for?" Al asked slowly, pronouncing each syllable with unnecessary emphasis.

"Sorry," I said, my expression probably not looking sorry at all, "It slipped."

Louis barely held in a snort of laughter across from me.

"It slipped," repeated Al, suspicion clearly written all over his face.

"It just happened to slip while I was in the midst of throwing it, is all," I amended complacently.

Al's eyes flashed dangerously.

Natalie sent me a warning glance, jerking her head in my irate cousin's direction, but I ignored her.

"Rose, a word outside," he said in a low voice, rising from the table.

"I think I'll pass," I said coolly, reaching for another piece of toast. "I dropped my last one, see?" I waved my new piece vaguely in the air in front of me.

Al closed his eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath. "Now, Rose."

"In a bit," I said, taking a large bite and chewing.

"You are being stubborn for no reason at all," he snapped.

The hypocrite! Who was he to lecture me on the evils of being stubborn? He, the veritable _Master_ of Stubbornness himself? And really, all I did was throw a bit of innocent breakfast food his way, what right did he have to get so self-righteous on me when _he_ was clearly the guilty party?

Dammit.

I had just realised something.

My idiotic cousin's plan worked! I _had_ cracked! It took only three weeks, and I had fallen for his ploy like an egg from a tall chicken.

Shame, shame, shame on Rose.

Yep, I had just and was now immersed in my proverbial yolk of shame, vicious, gooey, and soaking into my every pore. It was unpleasant, to say the least. I wrinkled my nose in distaste, watching in frustration Al's face adopted a sort of satisfied, yet thoroughly annoyed expression.

"Rose, a word, if you please," he said through gritted teeth when he realized I wasn't going to comment.

I shook my head. "In a bit Al, I'm busy. Louis was entertaining me with wonderful story. Weren't you Louis?" I turned to the redheaded cousin sitting across from me.

Louis looked completely baffled as to what I was referring to.

"Louis?" I said encouragingly, turning to the cousin in question.

I was greeted by another blank stare.

Merlin, maybe Scorpius was right in saying that Gryffindors lacked brains… Er, except for yours truly, of course.

"Louis," I repeated, pinching his arm underneath the table.

He jumped about a foot into the air. "Merlin, what is your bloody problem, woman?" he demanded loudly, looking like I just pulled out my wand and invited him to a duel.

"Honestly," I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Bloody violent," muttered Louis, shaking his head at me.

Al tried to keep his face straight and remain in that severe, I-am-the-all-and-powerful-Al expression, but I could tell it was slipping and he was dangerously close to bursting into laughter like the rest of us.

"Rose," Al said again, crossing his arms over his chest and deliberately ignoring Louis, who still looked like I had morally offended him, "We need to talk."

"Later."

"Now, Rose Weasley," he said in a low voice, resuming his serious face once more.

"No, Al."

"Rose," he said slowly, rising from his chair and smiling.

Oh Merlin, I _did not_ like that smile. No, not one bit.

"Don't make me blackmail you into talking to me," he continued, his mouth morphing into some wicked sort of grin straight of my worst nightmare.

"Blackmail?" I asked, eyebrows raised. "Oh my, Al, descending to Slytherin tactics already?"

Al shrugged. "They're effective, and that's what matters."

Louis looked appalled. "I'm telling you mate, you hang out with that Slytherin way too much."

Al's emerald eyes flickered to me briefly before he replied coolly, "Hey, I'm named after a Slytherin. Did you really expect anything less?"

Louis shrugged and went back to his breakfast.

"Now Rosie," Al started, turning to face me once more, "A word, if you please."

"I'd rather not."

"Now, dear cousin of mine, would you like me to tell the entire Gryffindor table who you may or may not fancy?" he asked, smiling sweetly at me.

I scowled in return. "I hope you die, Albus Severus," I grumbled, getting up from my seat.

"Now, that's not a very nice thing to say," he said, frowning and walking with me to out of the Great Hall.

"Yeah, well, you deserve it," I snapped, turning around once we were clear of any more Weasleys. "What did you want to talk about?" I asked, hands on my hips.

"_You_ have not yet told Scorpius that you fancy him," he said accusingly, pointing a finger at me.

My grimace deepened. "Gosh darn it, I was just getting to that," I deadpanned.

"Sarcasm is not appreciated," Al tutted in response.

My eyes widened. "Oh yeah? How would you appreciate my foot up your arse?"

"Er, not very much."

"I thought so."

"Come on, just talk to the bloke, Rose!"

"No."

"It's been three bloody weeks, he's sick of fighting, you're sick of fighting… Hell, _I'm_ sick of your fight!" Al exclaimed, emerald eyes flashing.

"Well, the world doesn't just revolve around you, does it?" I huffed, tapping my foot irritably.

Al snorted. "And it doesn't revolve around you either. Just shelve your pride for once and say something to him for Merlin's sake!"

"This isn't about my bloody pride!" I said loudly.

"Oh yeah?" Al challenged, "then what? What is this whole fight about?"

"It's about how he bloody well hates me!" I nearly shouted. My face turned a brilliant shade of red as I realised that I quite a few students had turned their heads around in our direction at my outburst. I turned my back on their curious stares. Instead, I let my gaze drift toward his scarlet and gold Gryffindor tie, deliberately not meeting his undoubtedly piercing gaze. "He-he hates me and how I interfere with his life," I muttered, scuffing my foot against the floor in embarrassment. "And that's why we're not friends." I sighed, my mouth twisting into a slight frown.

"Oh Rose," Al said slowly, fidgeting as he stood in front of me. Clearly he was uncomfortable to the extreme. "He doesn't hate you… No, not at all-"

"Oh yeah?" I demanded, interrupting him mid-sentence and looking into this concerned emerald eyes. "Then why would he say those things to me? Why would he remain cold and bloody distant for these past weeks if he didn't prefer this new arrangement? No, I'm sure he sees himself better off."

Al sighed. "Rose, please trust me in that he isn't happy without you in his life."

I swallowed, blinking rapidly. "You're wrong," I whispered, remembering the look in Scorpius's eyes when we ran into each other only yesterday. "He's perfectly fine on his own, and he doesn't need me."

Al rolled his eyes. "Why won't you see things my way?"

I flared up at once. "'Why won't I?'" I quoted, derision marring my every syllable, "Because you're wrong, Al!"

"How do you know that?" he demanded immediately, taking step closer to me and glaring. "Has it ever occurred to you that I might know him better than you do?"

I floundered for a moment for words, finally saying slowly, "But Al, I thought I knew him better than anybody, too," I gave a snort of laughter, "And remind me again just how that turned out? It's better to just let things lie, where Scorpius is concerned. If he's unhappy with the situation, he'll do something about it. He's not one to sit still and deal with something he doesn't like. Meanwhile, I'll give him space, since that's clearly all he wants from me." I swallowed nervously and hoped against hope that Al would pick up on my signal to just let the subject _drop_.

"Merlin, Rose," Al said, shaking his head slightly, "You need to believe me that Scorpius Malfoy cares for you –"

What, a vain, naive hope. No, of course, he had to go make me feel even _worse_ than I did before. I dearly wanted to block my ears from his words, but I couldn't very well clamp both hands around my ears and sing, "Na, na, na!" at the top of my lungs. That would be absurd. Obviously.

Instead I said patiently, voicing aloud a thought that had occurred to me a quite a while ago, "Al, listen to me. I know he might have told you this, but had it ever occurred that he was lying to you?"

"Why the bloody hell would he do that?" Al asked, looking completely bewildered as to where I might have come to that conclusion.

"Oh I dunno Al, let's think," I said sarcastically, "He's your best mate, and he's my cousin. I wonder how many clashes will be inevitable between you two if you believe that he hates me? Look, I know you've done your best to see that we all got along, and I'm grateful, and whatnot, but it's plain to me that that will never happen. So just _let it go_."

"I will not!" he said loudly, glaring at the handful of students who had started to stare at us at his exclamation. "There's no fucking reason why you two should be having this ridiculous argument. He doesn't hate you, and you don't think he's not worthy enough to be your friend. Honestly, you two are so caught up in over-analysing the other that you do the stupidest things in the history of magic!"

"I-I-I am not over-analysing!" I spluttered indignantly.

"Oh yes you are," he contradicted at once, "You've formed all these conclusions about Scorpius, and still have to say one word to the bloke! They could all be completely false, for all you know."

"But you don't know either!" I nearly shouted at him. "You can't know, you can't know," I repeated, my voice breaking.

"Oh Rosie," Al said slowly after a moment as he watched my face fall and eyes well up with tears. He tentatively took a step forward, and when I didn't respond, he slowly wrapped his arms around me in a gentle hug. "Don't cry."

"I'm n-not," I denied, hiccupping slightly.

I felt his chest shake slightly with laughter at my response. "Why can't I know?" he asked carefully, leaning back and watching my face intently.

I looked away and brushed away at my tears impatiently. "Because," I said, blinking rapidly, "Because i-if you know, then that means I _didn't_ know…"

Al looked completely nonplussed.

"A-and that means I _n-never_ knew him at all!" I practically wailed.

Yes, Rose Weasley, Head Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, NEWT student and top of her class, was _wailing _to her cousin about _boy troubles_ in the middle of the Entrance Hall_. _Do I need to point how just how many things were wrong with that sentence?

"Of course you did, Rose," comforted Al after a moment.

I shook my head wordlessly.

He looked surreptitiously down at his watch. "Look, class starts in a few minutes, why don't we head down to Potions together?" His green eyes were concerned as they flickered up uncertainly to meet mine.

I nodded and trailed silently after my cousin as he led the way down to the dungeons. He kept sneaking glances out of the corner at me as we walked, which I studiously ignored. We arrived to class ten minutes early and to my surprise Al sat next to me, instead of moving to the front of the class next to Scorpius.

I cast Al a questioning look, jerking my head to the blond a few rows ahead of us.

Al shrugged and said, "He can live without me for a lesson. You need me more."

I grimaced and shook my head, but he was adamant. "No can do, Rosie Posey. You're stuck with me, deal with it."

I rolled my eyes, but was secretly pleased. Finally, _something_ today was going right. I had Al speaking to me again!

Score one for Rose!

I felt like I could dance. I felt like I could sing. I felt like I… oh sod it. I felt like I could finally get over Scorpius – a daunting prospect that I had been mulling over in my head over the past few days. I needed a boyfriend. An attractive, intelligent, charming, boyfriend.

One who _might_ incur the teeniest, smallest, amount of feeling from some Slytherin who will from now on go unnamed. As a side note, of course. There's no way I would sink so low as to try to make him _jealous_ on purpose.

Ahem.

"Attention class!" I heard Slughorn's voice boom across the dungeon, "We'll be brewing a Confusing Concoction. Yes, I know it's quite simple." Slughorn gave out a brief chuckle, "But I'll have you know, it's the simple ones you've got to look out for! I've known countless students who've gotten too cocky with the simple ones and botched it up beyond repair. However, to spice up this dull lesson plan, why don't we switch it up a bit?" he asked, looking around happily.

"Bletchley, Pierson," he commanded, "and how about Marit and Volokski? Malfoy and Francis are already seated together, so you just stay there m'boys. Miss Weasley and-"

"But professor!" I interrupted, smiling widely as soon as his eyes glanced over to my corner of the dungeon. "Albus and I _never_ sit together, don't you think that we could work together this one-"

"I'm sorry, Miss Weasley," Slughorn said, shaking his head and smiling down genially at me. "I already have Mr. Potter here paired up with Mr. Nott."

"Fuck," I heard Al mutter out of the corner of his mouth, wrinkling his nose as he glanced at Joshua Nott out of the corner of his eye.

"Ten points from Gryffindor. No foul language in my dungeon, Mr. Potter," Slughorn said smoothly without looking at Al. "Mr. Greengrass, please sit next to Miss Weasley."

I looked around wildly at Al. He was clearly fuming that Slughorn had taken points, but he had already gotten up and was moving his belongings to a table a few rows ahead.

"Hey Rose," Natalie's twin brother said exasperatedly, plopping his stuff in Al's empty seat. "Still, I'm not that rotten as a partner, am I?"

"No, not at all," I said, laughing. "It could've been worse."

I looked Nathan briefly up and down. His rather large mouth was curled up into a smile, and his wavy mahogany hair was in complete disarray, but it suited him. The ends of silver and emerald tie were hanging haphazardly out of his collar, completely undone, and his dark brown eyes were alight with excitement.

"Much worse," he agreed, glancing over at Pierson, who was fairly quaking in her seat as she scooted as far away as she could from the hulking Bletchley.

"Confusing Concoction? Didn't we do that in second year?" Nathan asked shaking his head as he looked at the list of ingredients and instructions.

I grinned. "First."

"Honestly, the first instruction is _boiling water._ What's Slughorn playing at?" he asked rhetorically, leaning in and whispering in my ear towards the end of his sentence as Slughorn himself passed by our cauldron.

"Dunno," I muttered, smiling. "I think he was in a food coma from the Slug Club party late into the night yesterday and was too busy sleeping off all that firewhiskey to plan a lesson."

"That was some party, eh?" he said, leaning back once Slughorn was a sufficient distance away. "Did you see what Geraldine McLaggen got up to?"

"What, when she let herself into Slughorn's whiskey cabinet and started teasing Al about how, and I quote: 'bloody cute he was in his little Potter glasses'?" I asked, giggling myself.

"No, but I heard about that," said Nathan quickly, "No, before that, when Murphy attempted to kiss her under a piece of left-over mistletoe."

"I must've missed it," I said regretfully. "What happened?"

Nathan laughed. "They went on snogging for a full minute or two before she 'realised' what was happening, pushed him away, and began slapping him like there was no tomorrow!"

I burst out laughing. "Weren't they going out?"

"Well, they sure as hell aren't now!" said Nathan, snorting.

I shook my head, still chuckling. "No way. They split?"

"Yeah. It must've been a record, they lasted four whole periods."

I chanced a glance over the rim of the hot cauldron between us. "It's not boiling yet," I muttered, throwing myself back into my chair. "Why don't you get the Amarillo bark and the toad livers as we wait?"

"Your wish is my command, my fair lady!" Nathan said, getting up and bowing.

I laughed. "Just get going already!"

I watched him go, and suddenly a wondrous thought struck me.

Now, Nathan was an alright looking bloke. His eyes were a warm chocolate brown which, in the right light, almost seemed flecked with gold, and he had incredibly long lashes that any witch would kill for. His wire rimmed glasses only gave him a look of distinguished respectability, which he constantly used to his advantage to sweet talk professors. He was only a few inches taller than me, but he was slim and fit. Although he never tried out for the Quidditch team, Natalie told me multiple times that he was actually quite good as he practiced by himself nearly every day. Even though he was never swarmed by admirers, Nathan was never short of a date to Hogsmeade. Overall, he was very pleasing to the eyes. Really, after I met him, I had no idea why he was placed in Slytherin. He seemed quite, well, _friendly, _as opposed to every other member of his house. I was completely baffled until Natalie shared her suspicions with me a month or two into first year. Although her brother was overly outgoing and gregarious, he was incredibly ambitious. He knew from the age of eight that he wanted to be the Minister of Magic and hadn't wavered in the decade or so since he made that decision. Instead of using cunning and trickery to get his way, he called on old contacts and people who owed him favours. Although I would never voice it to his face, he sort of reminded me of Slughorn in that aspect.

I was still laughing when Nathan returned with hands full of tiny jars of toad livers and a precariously balanced bundle of Amarillo bark.

After dumping everything on the table in front of me, he leaned over and looked into the cauldron. His glasses immediately fogged up with the steam from the undoubtedly boiling water. "I think it's done," he said ruefully, squinting as he tried to focus despite the opaque coating on his glasses.

"Here, let me," I said, gently removing his spectacles and wiping them off on my skirt.

He blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted. "Oi Rose, I can't see a blasted thing,"

"One sec," I said, before placing them carefully back on his nose again. "There you go."

His mouth curved up into a smile once he realised he could see again. "Er, thanks?" he said, his voice lilting the word up into a question. "So, we'd better start, yeah?"

"Right."

I then spent an enjoyable Potions lesson with Nathan, flirting occasionally and laughing at his jokes. True, he inspired no special feelings in me _yet_, but I was sure that they would come soon enough. I mean what was there not to like in this fine specimen of the male race sitting right in front of me? He was perfectly adequate to fill my emergency boyfriend fix. And _no,_ every time I thought of the word boyfriend I _did _not think of a certain blond sitting a few rows ahead of us.

Ahem.

Although, I couldn't help but wonder why, even when I was doing my damndest to laugh loudly at Nathan's remarks and flick my hair every which way, _he _never turned around_. _Seriously. What was the point of acting like an infatuated idiot, if _he_ never saw me acting like an infatuated idiot?

Really, I even was able to distract Slughorn from his lavish praise of Geraldine McLaggen for a couple of seconds with a particularly loud shriek of laughter.

_He_ still wouldn't turn around to even wonder where all the noise was coming from! No, instead all I got was a spectacular view of the back of his his carefully disarrayed, gorgeously shiny blond head. I think I once got a split second look at his aristocratic profile when he turned to ask Slughorn a question, though. And _no_, I was not staring, per se. I was just- oh sod it all.

_Merlin, why am I such an infatuated idiot?_

THIS NEEDED TO END NOW!

I spent the rest of the day trying to convince myself that Nathan was the bloke for me. I was partially successful. I mean, by last period, the glances in _his_ direction were of minimal length, and every time I caught myself, I would immediately begin thinking of Nathan and how good he looked in his Slytherin robes. Of course, then my mind would go to who _else_ looked good in Slytherin robes. Then I would think about _him _and how much better he would look in just a pair of Slytherin boxers, or better yet, no box-

Bugger.

All in all, it had been a very crappy day, and at the absurdly early hour of nine o'clock, I went upstairs to my dormitory.

I had just spread all my Ancient Runes work on my bed, when I heard something tap on the window. It was a minute before I realised the tapping was an owl, and another five minutes after that before I realised the owl was bearing some note meant for me. I slowly got up and went to the window. A tawny barn owl was waiting for me on the windowsill. He was quite large for his species, and I couldn't quite place him, although I was certain he wasn't one of the school owls. I opened the window, but the he didn't immediately hop inside. Instead, he simply held out his leg to which a rather large envelope was tied. I made quick work of dislodging the letter, and as soon as I was done, the owl flew off. Obviously he didn't expect a reply.

I opened the letter after I had watched the owl disappear into the night, quite intrigued who would be writing to me at this hour.

_Dear Rosie,_

_I heard from Dad, who heard from Uncle George, who heard from Aunt Angelina, who heard from Aunt Ginny, who heard from Albus in a letter that you and Scorpius Malfoy are fighting again. I just had to address this immediately. All I can say is: what the bloody hell is wrong with you, Rosie? How could you have let this happen? _

_Fix it and then snog him. Now. I mean it._

_All my love,_

_Victoire_

I stared at the piece of parchment for a moment, trying to comprehend what my mental cousin was telling me. I reread it for a third time, shaking my head as I reread Vic's words.

It was official. She had reached a whole new level of meddling. I was ashamed to call her a relation. Really, shouldn't she only get this annoying when she has some unfortunate child to mess with? Why did _I_ have to act as her guinea pig?

I stalked back to my bed and began to crumple the letter into a ball. However, a split second later I noticed for the first time that there was a picture spellotaped to the back. I smoothed out whatever wrinkles I had induced, and peered at the image.

I recognised the setting at once, and my stomach gave a small lurch as I realised exactly what Victoire had sent me.

She must have finally developed those pictures she took at midnight on New Years. Apparently she had taken one of me when I was, er, quite occupied with Scorpius. There we were in miniature, snogging like it was going out of fashion. My hand absentmindedly went up to brush back my curls as I watched Scorpius do the very same action in the picture to my image. He seemed to be enjoying himself, at least. His mouth was moving in a steady rhythm over mine, and his eyes were open, focusing intently on my closed eyelids. I was supported against the doorframe. One of my hands was resting on his cheek, while the other was fingering the soft hair at the base of his neck.

I sighed and sank down on my bed, staring hard at the picture in my hands. Every time I looked at it my heart felt like it was put under a Constricting Curse, but I couldn't seem to look away. I kept remembering the feel of his mouth on mine, and I was nearly breathless with longing for _him._

After looking at that picture for a quarter of an hour, I came to one conclusion:

I was just as infatuated with Scorpius Malfoy as ever.

* * *

**A/N: I just wanted to give a gigantic THANK YOU to all you readers. You guys are truly spectacular, and I'm sorry if I've never thanked you personally.  
**


	10. Renewal

**A/N: Happy holidays! Here's my present to you all, another chapter. I hope this satisfies, it's quite long and contains something that you all have been voraciously complaining about since chapter 6 or so. **

**Merry/Happy (for all you UK people out there) Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Years too, now that I think about it. I probably won't have time to update before Jan 1, anyway.  
**

* * *

"Glad you finally turned up," I muttered to myself, watching Scorpius set his bag down out of the corner of my eye.

Either he didn't hear me, or he chose to ignore my comment. Instead, all he said in response was: "We'd better get started."

No apology, no explanation, no "Rose, you complete me! Let me undress you and have my way with you on this table!"

Okay. Well. I didn't expect the last one, but the other two were definitely in the realm of possibility.

After a moment of silence though, I seriously rethought my last statement.

"Er, fine," I said a bit uncomfortably, reaching for the top sheet of parchment.

Scorpius nodded once.

I sighed and began to read.

We were currently in our second Head's meeting since our falling out, and it was proving just as awkward as the previous one. Well, at least I was just about suffocating on the awkwardness. As usual, Scorpius seemed as relaxed as ever.

Bloody unflappable wanker.

I angrily blew my fringe out of my eyes and settled down for the evening, throwing my legs up over one arm of my chair and resting my head on the other. I felt my skirt ride up, but I just didn't care if Scorpius got a view of a bit more skin than normal. Merlin, that was comfortable. I quickly swept my hair out from underneath my shoulders and let it hang down loose off the armrest. I shuffled my papers around a bit, and glimpsed Scorpius out of the corner of my eye.

Was he staring at me?

"What?" I asked, turning my head around irritably to look at him.

Scorpius surveyed me for a moment with his cool grey eyes, his expression turning haughty. "Nothing," he said, shrugging slightly, as he turned back to his own pile of paperwork.

I knew he was waiting for me to just go back to ignoring to him, but the tension in the room was causing my temper to rise, and my judgement to falter. I _missed_ him. Him and his lame insults, his kind smiles no one but me ever saw, his snide comments that always made me laugh. I missed it all, and I wanted it all back. I thought about it constantly, all the little things that had made up our friendship that I longed for the most. Every time I saw him, I remembered something new, and it was becoming unbearable. The memories were constantly pressing down on me, cruel reminders of what we had, and how far we had fallen. I knew that we had passed the point of no return, but my heart seemed to have missed the memo. I still wanted him, and I couldn't delude or convince myself otherwise, no matter how hard I tried.

And so, that was why I responded instead of remaining silent as usual, in the blind hope that he could finally convince my heart that we were well and truly _done_; done with something that had never really begun. As perverse as it may sound, I wanted him to insult me. I wanted him to call me names. I wanted him to be as cruel and heartless as he could be, if only it stopped me from wanting him once and for all.

"Look, if you have something to say, then just say it," I said angrily. "You've never had a problem voicing your opinion around me before."

"I have nothing to say," said Scorpius coolly, lowering his papers slightly to see me better. "You're overreacting."

I gaped at him for a moment. "Oh gee Malfoy, thanks for letting everything out," I said sarcastically.

He sighed, his eyes hard. "Really, I have nothing more to say to you."

I made an impatient sound, but returned to the top piece of parchment in my hand. Nothing to say, my arse.

"Fine. Just don't blow up in my face like last time."

It seemed like I hit a sore spot. Scorpius blinked at me for a moment, and then said abruptly, "Shut up, Weasley. Just go back to your reports, and I'll go back to mine."

"Because Merlin forbid, we actually had a _conversation," _I finished.

He scowled. "Can't you do anything you're told?" he asked, sitting up straighter and glaring at me.

"No," I spat, "Why would I? We're not mates. I have no reason to listen to you anymore."

He looked slightly taken aback by the venom in my voice, but he was quick to recover. "Fine then," he said in a falsely casual voice, "I just thought you were a decent enough person to listen to somebody else for a change, other than yourself. I see you're still as self-absorbed as ever."

"I am not s-self absorbed!" I spluttered angrily.

"Oh yes you are," countered Scorpius instantly. "You are so focused on your own petty problems that you can't see something right in front of your nose!"

"What the fuck are you on about?" I asked him, stunned.

He blinked. "Nothing."

I nearly laughed at the horrified expression on his face. "Really Malfoy," I said, a twisted smile curving my lips, "Do tell."

Scorpius shook his head adamantly. "Like you said before, Wealsey, we're not mates. I have no reason to listen to you anymore," he parroted back at me.

The smile abruptly disappeared.

"What? Can't take what you give out? Not my problem," he said tersely while observing my expression. "Better toughen up, or else you'll get hurt."

Pity you couldn't tell me that sooner, I thought ruefully. I must've been some kind of masochist, to invite this kind of pain. Really, who goes about insulting the one person who can hurt them more than anything? Such a stupid, _stupid_ plan.

Of course, I still fancied him more than ever. The universe liked to spite me like that.

"You are such a bastard," I told him.

"And you are an unattractive little witch who couldn't hold a bloke if she tried," he said without looking at me.

It was like he had slapped me. The verbal blow went straight through my chest to my heart. The pain was slow but raw and potent. Nothing, _nothing_ he'd ever said before had ever caused me such anguish. Sure, he'd insulted me loads of times, but never had he voiced aloud my deepest fears, the one string of words I'd never hoped to hear from his lips. And he just sat there, as if my already broken heart wasn't shattering into a million pieces. It was like my chest was falling in on itself, all the bones splintering and muscles ripping away to fill the gaping void that was left. Bloody hell, that _hurt. _

I swallowed and felt the water well up behind my eyes. I quickly slipped out of my chair with the intent on quietly escaping the room, but my vision was too obstructed by unshed tears that I knocked into the table, sending pieces of parchment flying everywhere.

At the sound of the fluttering paper, he finally looked up.

For the briefest of moments, my eyes flickered first to the damage I had inflicted on his neatly stacked pile of reports, then back into his astonished face. He opened his mouth to speak, but I was already gone from the room.

The whole next week, I avoided Scorpius. The week after, I was forced to avoid Scorpius _and_ Al. And by the time I was forced to avoid all the Weasleys in general who were eager to be let in on the family gossip, I was wearing thin. I had never realised there were_ so many_ of us.

Merlin, I suppose it was only a matter of time until I slipped up.

Just as I turned into a secret passageway on my way to my dormitory from Charms two and half weeks after our last argument, I heard someone shout my name.

"Weasley!"

I turned, and to my complete surprise saw Scorpius Malfoy himself sprinting toward me, a determined look on his face.

I increased my pace, desperately trying to reach the end of the corridor so I could disappear into the crowd of students in the Entrance Hall beyond. Who knew what he was going to say to me now?

"Rose!"

But of course, he caught up with me when I still had twelve metres to go.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" I asked, raising a hand to rub my temple as I tried to fathom what the hell he was doing. "If it's about the recent increase in unauthorized visits to Hogsmeade, then we can talk about that late-"

"No," said Scorpius quickly, cutting me off. I couldn't help but notice that his eyes were boring into mine, making it impossible for me to look away. "It's not that." He blinked, and took in a deep breath.

I fiddled with the latch closing my bag, saying hesitantly, "Okay then, what is it?"

"I want to be friends," he said abruptly.

My heart stopped. Had I heard him correctly?

I was positive I hadn't.

"Us… friends?" I asked dubiously, crossing my arms over my chest and staring him down sternly.

After all he put me through he wanted to be _bloody friends?_

The corner of his mouth lifted up into a half smile. "Look, I'm not sorry for what I said," he said bluntly, "and I'm pretty sure you're not going to apologise for anything you said either."

"Got that right," I muttered to myself.

"Regardless," Scorpius continued over my snide remark, "I do not see why we, as mature adults, cannot recognise the other's position and move on."

I didn't uncross my arms. "As I recall, your 'position' consisted of calling me an oppressive stickler for rules and an interfering busybody." I scowled and swallowed imperceptibly. "That's not a very good 'position' to have in starting off a friendship."

"Renewing," Scorpius cut in. "We're renewing our friendship, not starting again. Merlin, have you forgotten the past three years?" He rolled his eyes.

"Of course not," I said angrily, "But I was under the impression that our so-called 'friendship' was completely one sided on my part."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" he asked, challenging my statement.

"Oh, let me think," I said sarcastically, "How about when you completely rejected every single thing I ever told you?"

He had the grace to look a little contrite. "That's not… Well, Rose the thing is…"

I blinked and stood a little straighter. "Exactly."

At my word, his mumbles died and he proceeded to listen to me, the oddest expression on his face.

"Face it Scorpius," I said in a level voice, "You don't want to be friends with me. I won't tell you I'm not a little hurt and a great deal irritated that I spent all this time on something that clearly didn't matter to you, but whatever. Go and tell Al that you did your part, and I rejected your proposal to 'renew' our friendship. "

"So, you don't want to be friends?" he asked slowly.

I sighed. "Of course _I _want for us to be friends, but it has to be a mutual relationship. So, no, we won't be friends." I turned to go, but Scorpius's voice called me back.

"What won't be mutual about our friendship?"

I whirled around angrily. "Honestly, do you need a vocabulary lesson, Malfoy?" I demanded, marching up to him and poking him hard in the chest. "Mutual, as in a potential friendship between us must be the goal of both parties, and not just myself!" I spat.

"Who said anything about the friendship not being mutual?"

"You fucking did!"

"I did not!"

"Oh, so replay that part again when you told me to mind my own fucking business and stay out of your life?" I said sarcastically, blinking rapidly to dispel the sudden moisture in my eyes.

"Look, I lost my temper, Rose!"

"No shit, Sherlock."

Scorpius narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What the bloody hell does that mean?"

"Muggle phrase," I said offhandedly. "Obviously you lost your temper."

"Er, yes I did," he continued, and he reached a hand up to rub the back of his neck embarrassedly. "And Rose –"

"So what the hell are you trying to tell me?" I demanded. "You already said you're not sorry for what you said. Why are you wasting my time?"

"It's just that… I mean… Well, it didn't come out r-"

I sighed. "Just what are you trying to say?"

"Will you _quit_ interrupting me?"

"Will you _quit_ dithering and get to the point already?"

"Touché," Scorpius said, frowning slightly as he tried to make sense of his thoughts for a moment. "It's just…Rose," he said slowly, and haltingly, "You seem to be under the misapprehension that I somehow was against our friendship-"

"Because I-"

"_What_ did I say about interrupting?"

I snapped my mouth shut, glaring at him. I motioned with my hands for him to proceed.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, but continued, "I liked being friends with you, Rose. Don't doubt that."

"How can I not?" I whispered inaudibly.

He heard, though. Immediately his eyes softened, and he slowly took a step closer to me. For a moment it looked like he was about to reach out and wrap an arm around me, but he refrained. He ran a hand through his blond hair, shaking his head slightly. His eyes remained trained on my face, and his expression was one of regret. The frown that had graced his mouth had abated slightly, but his pale eyebrows were raised in confusion. Perfectly still, his long white hands rested comfortably at his sides, so unlike mine which were worrying the straps of my bag almost to shreds.

"Rose," he said in a low voice, "I'm sorry I hurt you."

My mouth fell open in surprise.

It was a moment before I could string together a chain of coherent words to meld into a sentence.

"_What_ did you say?" I choked out eventually, with my mouth still hanging open and eyes as big as Quaffles.

Oh Rose, real attractive.

The corner of Scorpius's mouth lifted up into a half smile. "I'm not going to say it again."

"But-but you said you weren't going to apologise!" I said wildly.

"Well, I just did."

"I know that."

"Yes, but you seemed to need some clarification to my absurdly simple sentence, and I thought I'd help you out."

Really, he made it just too easy to fall into our old pattern. Merlin, I missed his insults.

"What, no quip about my hair?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was getting to that," said Scorpius breezily. "I figure I'd chat you up, get back in your good graces, and then make up for all lost time."

"I'd rather you not."

"Well, as I've never taken your opinion into account, I don't see why I should start now," said Scorpius matter-of-factly. "Actually, since I'm the one who apologized for when I was an arse-"

"What do you mean _was? _You're always an arse," I said, laughing for what felt like the first time in years.

Scorpius smiled. "Merlin, Rose, you sure know how to make a bloke feel special."

"What can I say, it's a talent."

"One of few."

"Now that's just mean."

"It's the truth. I'm nothing if not honest."

"Right. Because that's what all Slytherins are known for. Their honesty."

"It's a little known fact."

"And a completely _false_ one."

Scorpius shrugged.

"All joking aside," I said slowly, avoiding his eyes, "I don't want to force you into anything. If you honestly don't like my company, then-"

He sighed, and I broke off, my heart stopping in my chest.

This was it. He was going to break my heart _all over again_.

He took a step closer and put a hand on my shoulder, all the while looking down into my eyes with a serious expression on his handsome face. "Rose, why do you keep insisting that you know what I want?" he asked, shaking his head. "You have absolutely no idea. I'd suggest that you stop trying. Just let it go."

I narrowed my eyes in anger. "So why don't you tell me?"

Evidently this absurdly obvious course of action had not occurred to him.

"What?" he asked, looking like I'd just hit him over the head with a frying pan.

"Tell me what you want, since I have no bloody clue," I said, irritated.

Momentarily stunned, he gaped at me before saying with a small smile, "I'd rather not."

"You'd rather not," I repeated flatly.

"Nope," he said blithely.

I grimaced and knocked his hand off my shoulder. How could I possibly be friends with such a secretive wanker?

More importantly, how could I _not?_

"Honestly Scorpius, you are the _most _confusing, infuriating bloke I've ever met," I sighed, wrinkling my nose as I looked him up and down.

He smiled at my name-calling. "Handsomest too. You forgot that one."

"So that eliminates modest-est?" I frowned as I actually considered what I had just said.

Merlin, why didn't _think_ before I spoke? Modest-est? Honestly! Just Avada me right now.

He laughed at my word gaff. "That's not a word, Rosie," he said condescendingly, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

I blushed crimson and looked away. "Whatever," I muttered, trying to ignore the sudden tugging feeling in the pit of my stomach at his touch as well as the tingles on the back of his neck where I could feel his bare arm against my skin.

Ahh…

"So, where are you off to this fine Saturday?" asked Scorpius after a moment as we started to continue down the corridor.

"I was thinking about heading down to the library and revising for a bit," I said nervously.

Scorpius cast me an appraising look. "Revising for what, exactly?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That Charms exam," I said defensively.

"Rose," he said seriously, "that's not for another four days. You're completely mad."

I shrugged. "Fine then, mister. What did you have planned for today, if my proposal was so dissatisfactory?"

"I was heading for Hogsmeade actually," he said calmly. "Do you want to come with me?"

"But it's not a Hogsmeade weekend!" I said instantly.

"So?"

"It's against the rules." As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could take them back. Didn't this whole thing start because I could never ignore the bloody rule book for once? Why couldn't I learn anything, for Merlin's sake?

"Come on, Rose," began Scorpius, but I cut him off.

"Forget that, let's go to Hogsmeade," I said abruptly.

Scorpius paused for a moment, staring at me. "Really?" he asked, not quite believing what was happening. "That's it? No hour long pep talk? No bribery? No blackmail?"

I scowled. "No. Let's go, Malfoy, before I change my mind."

He smirked. "There we go. Thought you were suffering from a temporary loss of personality. The passageway's over here," he said, motioning up the stairs to the fourth floor.

"So, why are you going to Hogsmeade?" I asked curiously.

Scorpius shot me a brief look, before focusing on the stairs in front of him. "If my attempts with you failed, I was going to drown my sorrows in a mug of firewhiskey. If they succeeded, I was going to celebrate with you," he said swiftly. "Now, come on." He indicated a rather large mirror just off the first landing.

I was stunned. He had been planning to drink himself into a stupor if I hadn't agreed to renew our friendship? I was suddenly struck by an idea. Maybe he _had_ missed me. Probably not as much as I missed him, but just the fact that he had some sort of self-destructive course of action if I had spurned him, buoyed my spirits considerably.

He looked askance at my wide smile while moving to stand in front of his reflection.

I paused before the mirror as well. "Now what?" I asked dubiously, turning to look at Scorpius.

"Watch," he said, the corner of his mouth lifting up into a half-smile. He pulled out his wand and tapped the heads of our reflections, muttering, _"Pereium Inesia."_

Suddenly our reflections shivered and distorted. They seemed to be melting away, until there stood two people-shaped gaps in the glass of the mirror. I took a hesitant step forward, and felt a slight draft coming from what was undoubtedly a secret passageway beyond.

"Oh, go on then," Scorpius said, and I barely had time to whip my head around and take in his wicked grin, before he shoved me head first through the hole.

"Malfoy!" I shrieked, stumbling into the mirror, and nearly falling flat on my face in the room beyond.

I turned my head to see him step gracefully through his entrance, laughing quietly to himself at my misfortune. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the two openings closed behind him.

"That wasn't very nice," I said a bit breathlessly, scowling heavily as I flattened my hair and smoothed my skirt. Merlin, I didn't even want to contemplate the embarrassing positions he could have found me in if I hadn't luckily found my balance in time.

"I'm not always a nice person," he continued calmly, smirking at me. _"Lumos,"_ I heard him murmur, and wide cavern was filled with light. He was leaning against the back of the mirror.

I let out a noise of disbelief. "Whatever," I said. "Just where are we, anyway?" I asked.

"Secret passageway," he said unhelpfully. "Al and I found it third year with some map James nicked from Mr. Potter," he explained, starting to move towards the exit on the opposite wall. "Anyway, this secret passage was on that map, but it was completely caved in. I was all for finding a secret passage that was still _a passage_, but Al insisted on clearing this one out, the stubborn arse. We worked in the library for a couple of days, and then finally found a spell to reverse the cave in." Scorpius paused in his tale, looking at several doors that had appeared out of the gloom. After a split second decision, he chose the one on the far right. He opened it, and politely ushered me through before following himself. "We should reach Hogsmeade in a bit."

"Alright," I said, squinting in the gloom to make out the rather large tunnel we found ourselves in. _"Lumos," _I said after a bit, when my eyes were starting to feel the strain.

We continued on our way, talking about nothing, until the passage abruptly ended.

"Now what?" I asked, looking around at the dead end. "Where are we?"

"You'll see," Scorpius said mysteriously, holding his lit wand aloft. _"Nox,"_ he cast, instantly causing the light at the end of his wand to go out. He looked around for a moment, blinking in the dim light from the tip of my own wand. _"Nox,"_ he repeated, directing the spell at me.

My light silently went dark as well. "Bloody hell," I swore, walking in the direction where I thought Scorpius was standing. "I can't see a damn thing. What are you playing at, Malfoy?"

"Oof," I heard Scorpius sigh as I walked straight into him.

"Whoops, sorry," I said, straining to see his outline in the pitch darkness.

"Merlin, Weasley, watch where you're going," his voice said from right above me as hands reflexively shot out to keep me steady. Fortunately, as he couldn't quite see me, his hands, er, missed the intended mark.

"I would if I could see a blasted thing," I retorted. I paused a moment, basking in the pleasure of his hands on me. "Are you_ groping_ me, Malfoy?" I asked amusedly, reaching out to feel his long slender fingers which were currently resting on my arse. "I'm not _that_ short, you know." I assumed he had been aiming for my waist.

"Shite, Weasley," Scorpius said, hurriedly releasing me. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," I said ruefully. I instantly cursed my mouth as I felt his touch leave. "No harm done."

"Er, right," he said embarrassedly.

"So…" I began, straining my eyes once more to make him out, "What exactly are we doing in the dark?"

"Waiting," he replied calmly.

I nodded, and then realised he couldn't see me. "Waiting?" I repeated, my voice lilting the word up into a question.

"Right."

I sighed exasperatedly. "Waiting for what, you smartarse?"

"That," he said unexpectedly.

I abruptly felt his hands encircle my waist, and he spun me around in place to face his desired direction. I blinked, not quite sure what I was seeing. After a moment, I realised I was looking at a glowing ladder that had apparently appeared out of nowhere. "Oh," I said dumbly.

"You have to wait in the dark a bit, before the Disillusionment Charm lifts," explained Scorpius. "Don't know why, but that's what James's Map told us."

"Er, should I go first?" I asked tentatively.

He nodded, taking my hand and leading me towards the shimmering rungs. "Go on," he urged, "I'll be right behind you."

I reached out and rested my foot experimentally on the first step. "Are you sure this is sa-" I began, but Scorpius cut me off.

"Just go, Weasley."

"I'm going, I'm going."

* * *

**A/N: So there you go! I'm sure some of you pictured the make up scene a bit more dramatic and probably with a lot of snogging, but I have delightful bits of sexual tension planned in the chapters ahead (planned, yes I finally _planned_, as in Veri actually knows where the hell her story is going!) so no snogging. Yet.**

**Please leave your thoughts, I'm anxious to know what you guys thought about this one.  
**


	11. Conversation

I took a spare moment when Scorpius was otherwise occupied with his drink to examine him closely. He seemed to be paler than normal, which was quite remarkable, given his regular appearance. I could tell that had had shaved recently, as his chin looked smooth and unbroken by the white-blond stubble that sometimes graced his features. His uniform was impeccable as always, not a thread out of place.

"So," I said slowly, wincing as my mind flew through several of the most awkward conversation starters ever conceived. "What have you been up to?"

Lame. LAME. _LAME._

Scorpius's cool grey eyes moved up from the table to stare deeply into mine. Apparently he didn't notice the complete and utter pile of pathetic that was my most recent sentence, as all he said was: "Nothing." He paused for a moment before asking the conciliatory, "You?" in response.

"Eating, sleeping, breathing," I said, shrugging. "You know, the normal." I fiddled with the end of my plait nervously, trying to think of something else to say that did not end up with Scorpius sending me to some sort of mental hospital for people with subnormal intelligence. Really though, everything that had come to mind was either perverted, idiotic or clichéd. It was quite hopeless, I realised. I fancied him too damn much to think of anything normal to say around him. I scowled and pulled my plait out, finger combing my hair so that it hung lose around my face. I ran a final swipe through it, praying to Merlin that the ever-present Gods of Frizz chose to overlook little old me today.

Scorpius gave me a once over before saying snidely, "Merlin, Rose, way to warn a bloke before unleashing _that." _He indicated my hair with his free hand.

I rolled my eyes, internally dreading what I must look like. "Just be glad I'm willing to go out in public with an albino such as yourself," I said, smirking.

He immediately adopted a highly affronted look. "I'll have you know that many witches have no complaints over my appearance."

"And I'll have _you_ know, that none of them have the intelligence that I do, and therefore cannot hope to be a judge of my calibre," I retorted back.

He smiled as well. "Just keep telling yourself that," he said condescendingly.

"I will," I said, toasting him with my glass.

"So what persuaded you to come out on this little outing with me?" he asked curiously.

I blushed. "I can't just want to spend time with my only Slytherin friend?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Come on, that's not the only reason," he contradicted immediately, "There's no way the prospect of simply spending the afternoon with a bloke, admittedly one as charming and talented as I, could get Rose Weasley to bend a few rules."

"How would you know?" I asked.

Scorpius snorted. "I know you."

"Maybe not as well as you think you do," I said mysteriously. Internally, I wanted to cringe. Honestly, my tone just about reeked of my flirtatious intentions.

I bet he could see right through me.

"Apparently not," he said, eyeing me with newfound interest. "So, does this mark your teenage rebellious phase? Are you going to get a tattoo?"

I laughed. "No," I gasped out between giggles. "Do you _want_ me to get a tattoo?" I asked, intrigued. Merlin, I'd get a hundred tattoos for him.

Well, maybe not.

Certainly four_._ Maybe five.

Strictly speaking, that would be just as bad as a hundred, knowing my dad. He'd have a coronary and throw a gigantic hissy fit anyway. And I mean _gigantic._

Scorpius studied me for a moment before responding quietly, "No."

Brilliant. I didn't want to either.

"So, Scorpius," I began, staring him down at him inquisitively over the rim of my butterbeer, "What prompted this whole 'renewal-thing'?"

He threw me a look and sighed. "I wanted to be your friend again, Rose. I yearned for your company like no other," he said sardonically, a small smirk hiding in the corner of his mouth.

"You're a liar."

"Yes I am," he admitted calmly. "If you must know, it was Al. He was beginning to be insufferable."

"Beginning?" I repeated flatly, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, he upped the drama, complaints, and all around annoyingness that you Gryffindors seem to carry around with you everywhere," explained Scorpius, giving another long suffering sigh.

I reached over the table and smacked him on the side of the head.

"Bloody hell, woman," he exclaimed, looking surprised. "What's with the violence?"

"That's what you get for insulting my house."

"You insult mine all the time!" he said at once.

"Yeah? Well you usually deserve it."

"And you don't?" he countered immediately.

"Of course not," I said flippantly. "I'm perfect."

Scorpius's eyes raked over my face, and a smile started to curl his lip. "With the exception of your bushy hair, midget height and irascible demeanour that is prone to random acts of violence, as I can attest." He rubbed the side of his head ruefully to emphasize his last point.

Merlin, and he called us Gryffindors dramatic. I barely hit him.

"Those don't count." I paused. "And I'm not a midget!" I exclaimed, my mind quickly running through his list of my faults.

He sent me a dubious glance my way over the rim of his glass. "You're short."

I scowled. "No need to rub it in," I said tersely.

"I'm a Slytherin," he said, as if that excused his actions. "We are always compelled to be brutally honest when necessary, or unnecessary, depending on the situation."

"Why do you do that?" I asked exasperatedly.

"Do what?" he asked, looking completely baffled as to what I was referring to.

"Describe your house like that. It makes it just too easy to poke fun at you," I said simply.

Scorpius opened his mouth to respond but then closed it again. It was several moments before he began hesitantly to speak, and from the outset I could tell that he had totally abandoned the joking attitude he had displayed earlier. "I don't know," he began, avoiding my eyes, "probably because I've grown up listening to Slytherin's faults from Dad and Mum and, to some extent, Grandmother. I was actually dreading my sorting; I that whatever house I was sorted in would disappoint them. Anything but Slytherin would disgrace our heritage, but if I got in Slytherin, it would mean that I was just my father's son, and nobody wanted that, least of all my father who's still atoning for his past sins." He sighed and drained his butterbeer.

"So you downplay your house's attributes in an attempt to show them that you're really not satisfied where you are?" I asked outwardly trying to project a logical demeanour, while inwardly wondering what the hell could have possessed _Scorpius Malfoy_ to reveal such a thing to me. He wasn't ever the open, ready to share type. In fact, he made it top priority to _mock_ those types of people – Al – mercilessly at every opportunity.

"Yeah," he muttered before signalling the waitress to bring him a drink.

"But you are the quintessential Slytherin," I exclaimed.

Scorpius scowled. "Thanks for pointing that out, Weasley."

I waved off his comment. "Honestly, you are," I told him. "You're ambitious, plan ahead to an absurd degree, and intelligent. What could be wrong about that? You'll be better off if you just embrace who you are."

"What, like you do with your hair?" he said, but I could tell his heart wasn't in it.

"Stop that," I chided. "I'm being serious."

He looked up at me, and his steel grey eyes seemed troubled.

"Come on, stand back for a moment," I said bracingly. "As far as I know, the only bad thing about Slytherins is their tendency to get involved with the Dark Arts to gain power."

Scorpius winced.

"But, I've _never_ known you to be interested in all that," I continued, hesitantly reaching over to hold his hand lightly, "You're really fortunate in that you already know what you want, and that's not power."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" challenged Scorpius, barely sparing a glance at our interlocked hands. Well, at least he didn't shake off my touch. That was something.

"To be happy," I said simply. "Like everyone else, you want to be happy. Don't you think I know why you go through so many girls? I'm not saying that you're looking for your soul mate in your many girlfriends," I laughed. There was no way in hell would I call Scorpius such romantic. "No," I continued, "you're just looking for a good time, and when a bird thinks things are getting a bit serious, you break it off because settling down wouldn't make you happy, not one bit.

"You're not some power-hungry Slytherin of yore; you just like to be in control of a situation, no more, no less, and I respect that. I mean, I've lost count of the number of times you've orchestrated something to your advantage, and I personally have never seen you happier than when everything goes exactly as you planned." I paused, fiddling with my straw. "Look, you say you're ashamed of your house? I know you've probably thought this through a billion times, knowing you, but just let me outline it for you as I see it: so there's Hufflepuff, which you've never expressed anything but outright scorn for, and then there's Ravenclaw, which has some of the most annoying, uptight people I've ever met. Gryffindor, I suppose would be alright for you," I said, looking him up and down with a critical eye, "But I just don't see it happening. We're a boisterous lot and would surely drive you up the wall if you had to live with us. Ergo, Slytherin is the only one left," I finished triumphantly, brandishing a cherry I had speared with my drinking straw at him. "And frankly, most of the Slytherin traits are not that bad. I mean, ambition, cunning… they're perfectly fine characteristics."

He stared at me, dumbfounded.

After a moment of the most stifling silence I had ever endured, I realised the implications of what I had just said. _Merlin,_ why didn't I just up and declare my love for him right over this table? And now he knew I had clearly been paying more attention to him than a best mate should. Er, probably even more that a proper _stalker_ should.

Bloody hell, I couldn't say anything right!

"And I personally couldn't or wouldn't want to see you anywhere else," I muttered, blushing to the roots of my hair as I tried to amend my situation. "It's just so _you_, I can't see how you would want to change that."

Oh my Merlin. I think I made it _worse._

I just barely resisted the urge to bend over and knock my head repeatedly on the table in front of me.

Such a stupid, idiotic, prat move!

Fuck my life. Fuck my-

"Have you been talking with Al about me?" Scorpius demanded, interrupting my rather pointless mental tirade of self-deprecation.

"Er, no?" I said in surprise. "Not really."

Well. That was a _lie._

"Oh," Scorpius said to himself, his expression turning pensive.

Cue awkward silence number 5,000.

"You really think that?" he said sharply after a moment.

"Yeah, of course," I said quietly. Merlin, I was amazed my face could even get redder. I probably looked like a tomato. A tomato that had been embarrassed to within an inch of its life and was currently considering death-by-straw, that was.

Scorpius studied me for a moment before saying hesitantly, "T-thank you, Rose." He looked down for the first times at our interlocked hands.

I could see the question in his eyes, so I withdrew my hand shakily and tucked a stray curl of hair behind my ear before he could ask me about it.

"I mean it," he said, taking in a deep breath and raising his eyes to meet mine. "Thanks. I didn't know you felt that way."

"No problem," I said, shrugging slightly as I watched his expression out of the corner of my eye.

Bloody hell. _What did I do?_

I tried to remain as calm and composed as tired to figure out some way to rectify the disaster that was soon to fall because any moment now Scorpius was going to up and realise that I fancied him.

Quick! Distract him!

"So, how are things with Jade?" I asked casually.

Scorpius stared at me for a moment, his expression hardening. "Fine," he said tersely.

I nodded silently. Of course they were.

He was Scorpius bloody Malfoy, and of course he had a bloody perfect girlfriend on his bloody arm.

And who was I? Rose bloody Weasley, with no bloody boyfriend to speak of on my bloody arm.

He looked around and reached up to rub the back of his neck subconsciously. "No, they're not," he backtracked. "I'm thinking about chucking her, actually."

"Oh really?" I asked, feigning indifference.

"Yeah," he said, picking at the ice in remaining in his glass. "She's nice and all, but she's not what I'm looking for in a bird, you know?"

I nodded, incredibly interested in what he wanted in a girl. But how to approach it without sounding like a desperate, infatuated idiot?

Think, Rose! Put those celebrated Granger brains to use!

"So, what are you looking for in a bird, then?"

…Or not.

Scorpius sighed. "I don't know. I'd really like a girl that knows how to talk about Quidditch. Jade, although she tried, just didn't get it."

I knew how to talk about Quidditch!

He scowled. "Honesty's a good thing too. I could act like a total prat in front of her if I was having a bad day or something, and she'd never call me out on it."

I called him a prat all the time!

"And then, she always feels the need to _talk._ Every single bloody moment of the day," finished Scorpius. "Seriously, she _never_ shuts up."

I can be quiet!

Sometimes.

…Bloody hell, two out of three wasn't bad, right?

Right?

As I was busy having a small panic attack, hastily shifting through the many (many) conversations I'd had with Scorpius over the years and carefully assessing whether I'd spoken too much (I had) and whether or not that was a bad thing (it was), I didn't notice what was going on around me.

"Rose? Rose Weasley? Rosie Posey?"

"Huh? What?" I asked. My gaze abruptly shifted from my butterbeer to Scorpius's amused face.

"I asked you a question," he said, his lip curling into a half smile.

"Oh," I said, blushing. Of course, it was the first time we had a civil conversation in more than a month, and I had to go act like a total prat and ignore him for a solid minute.

Merlin, he was right. I maybe I _was_ too self-absorbed.

"What did you say?" I asked, twirling my straw around my empty drink, making the ice cubes rattle and clink.

"I asked you if you knew that Greengrass fancied you," Scorpius repeated carefully.

I sat up a bit straighter in my chair.

Nathan fancied me? My extra-desperate-slightly-manic-in-its-desperation version of flirting had actually _worked?_

Bloody hell, just on the wrong wizard.

"Er, no I didn't," I said, my gaze dropping from Scorpius's piercing gaze back to the table. "He really fancies me?" The corner of my mouth lifted up into a slight smile. Okay, so I would never take advantage of Nathan's feelings, as they were in no way reciprocated on my end at all, but it was nice all the same. What witch wouldn't be flattered at the knowledge that a handsome bloke liked her? At least I knew I was fanciable, at any rate. Even if Scorpius couldn't see it, at least somebody in his dorm did. I sighed wistfully. Maybe if Nathan was singing my praises with Scorpius in his vicinity for long enough, he would eventually come round.

I made a mental note to be extra nice to Nathan in future. Of course, not so nice as to lead him on, but nice enough that he kept fancying me a little bit.

"He sure does," said Scorpius, nodding slightly. He called over the waitress and ordered a firewhiskey and I got another butterbeer.

"That's…nice," I said slowly, testing out the adjective on my tongue.

"Nice?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah," I said defensively, "It's nice to know that a bloke fancies me."

Scorpius studied me for a moment, before taking a long pull from his glass. "So you're not going to do anything about it? Just let him pine for you?"

"Sure," I said calmly. "Why not?"

His steely grey eyes were piercing as they bore into mine. "Ever thought that he might not appreciate being strung along?"

"Strung along?" I repeated, surprised at the accusatory tone of his voice.

Scorpius merely continued to look at me, stare becoming colder by the second.

"I didn't think I-well, I mean, I," I stuttered, torn between telling him my real feelings and wanting to preserve our fragile relationship. I desperately wanted to get everything off my chest, but that conflicted with my desire to tell him what he wanted to hear, since I _knew_ he wouldn't appreciate a declaration of love right here and now. "I didn't know," I finished in a whisper, a slight hopeless twinge to my voice.

"Of course you didn't know," he said, dropping his gaze and reaching up a hand to run through his blond hair.

There was a moment of silence in which I absentmindedly fiddled with my new drink and Scorpius adopted a pensive expression.

"So you're not going to ask out Greengrass anytime soon?" he asked after a moment, leaning back in his chair so that he was balanced on two legs.

"Nope, got my sights set on someone else," I said, my cornflower blue eyes boring into his with enough intensity to optically signal my love for him.

At least, that was the idea.

I think it was lost in transmission, though.

"So you're going to ask this new bloke out and leave poor Greengrass in the dust?" For all of his sympathetic words, he looked oddly happy at the thought of Nathan's prospective misery.

Weird.

"Er, no."

"Why not?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Haven't quite mustered up the courage to ask the bloke out."

Scorpius laughed. "So much for Gryffindor bravery, eh?"

I scowled. "Gryffindors have bravery. It just… takes a long time to manifest itself."

"Sure, sure," he said, still chuckling.

"He also has a girlfriend," I mused quietly.

"Oh," Scorpius said, his eyes wide in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah," I muttered morosely. "But here's to hoping things don't work out, eh?" I raised my glass and took a long pull.

"I'd have thought you'd have better sense than to fall for someone that's not single," Scorpius said, almost to himself.

"Apparently not."

"What are you going to do about it?" he asked after a moment.

"Nothing," I said, placing an elbow on the table and placing my chin in my hand. "Absolutely nothing. Why, what do you think I should do?"

"Oh look how the tables have turned," he taunted, smirking at me. "Rose Weasley, asking me, Scorpius Malfoy, for boyfriend advice. I'm simply astounded, I'm flabbergasted!" he said dramatically.

I scowled. "No need to mock me."

"But it's so much fun."

"And 'flabbergasted' and 'astounded' are synonyms, you idiot," I continued.

"I added the last one for emphasis."

"Oh good, because I really didn't feel like giving you a definition for big words you don't know how to use properly."

"If you consider _flabbergasted_ and _astounded_ big words, Rose Weasley, then I am ashamed to call you a mate."

I scrunched up my nose in displeasure. "Should've thought that out before you insisted on 'renewing' our relationship. Now you're stuck with me."

Scoprius smirked. "Alright then, Weasley, I made like a Gryffindor and acted without thinking. My mistake."

I grimaced at the insult to my house but otherwise overlooked it. "Really, what should I do?" I asked seriously, tilting my head to the side as I studied his response.

He paused for a moment and then tipped his chair back on all four legs to lean over the table between us. "About your troubles with this bloke?"

"Yeah," I breathed.

Scorpius shrugged. "I think you should just let things run their course."

I snorted. "Oh really? This coming from the bloke who went as far as _bribing_ Selena Walters with no prefect duty for a fortnight as long as she chucked John Collins and snogged you at the Slytherin victory party because you fancied her so much?"

"That was different," he said smoothly.

I snorted again. "Of course." I paused and looked at him quizzically. "But really, you're not going to encourage me to engage in some underhanded trickery to get him away from his girlfriend?"

Scorpius sighed. "No," he said honestly. "I know you, Rose. I never would suggest that because I know that you couldn't live with yourself or appreciate the relationship if it started out with lies."

I blinked. _"Oh,"_ I said faintly. That made sense. Pity I didn't know him as well as he knew me. Stupid prat was just full of confusing, surprising moments.

"_Fuck."_

I stared at him. "Pardon?" I asked, eyebrows raised.

"I just realised something," he said hurriedly, a panicked look in his eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing of importance."

Normally I would press him to reveal absolutely everything, but I remembered what he said during our argument, and how I was an interfering busybody, so I decided to keep my mouth shut for once. "Alright then," I said, shrugging.

I was actually quite proud of myself for my amazing powers of self-restraint.

He swallowed and took in a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, he surveyed me for a moment and smiled before saying sardonically, "Of course, I myself wouldn't hesitate to descend to such levels, but I know that your pretty little Gryffindor conscience wouldn't be able to deal with the moral grey area." He finished off his pronouncement with his trademark smirk.

"Fine then," I said. "I'll just wait it out. I think he's going to dump her soon anyway."

Did his face fall ever so slightly?

"Anyway," I said, looking curiously at his expression which quickly transitioned into its usual neural appearance, "No use beating the subject to death. Why are you interested in my love life anyway?" I asked.

"No reason," said Scorpius casually. "Conversation topic, I suppose."

"Oh, alright," I said.

"Look," he said suddenly, looking at the empty glasses that littered our table, "You want to go? If I get another firewiskey I think you'll have to carry me out of here, and that would go and destroy my manly pride."

"And we can't have that, can we?" I asked, gathering my cloak from the back of my chair.

"I have a reputation to uphold, Weasley."

"As a serial monogamist?"

"No, my other one."

"As the fourth-best Seeker in Hogwarts?"

"Come on, you know I'm better than whoever Hufflepuff props up on a broomstick in the vain hope of passing off as an actual Quidditch player."

"Belby?"

"Whatever. And there's no way that Ravenclaw wanker can fly better than I can. _And_," he said, gaining steam, "Don't even get me started on your Seeker-"

"Hawley won our last match!" I said heatedly.

Scorpius smirked. "That's because you were against Hufflepuff. That doesn't count."

"Oh come on," I scoffed, "It was a rough match. O'Neal broke his nose and Hawley herself got a severe concussion. Hufflepuff have the best beaters Hogwarts has seen in a good decade!"

"You don't have to tell me twice; I'm already properly ashamed of that fact."

I laughed.

"You coming?" he asked, rising up from his chair.

He took my arm once I was standing upright and led me out of the Three Broomsticks.

"Do you want to head back?" he asked, tilting his head down to look at me.

I nodded. "What time is it, anyway?" I asked.

He glanced at the ornate golden watch on his wrist. "Quarter to five. We've got plenty of time before we have to be anywhere."

I stopped dead in my tracks. "It's Tuesday, right?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah, why?" he asked casually, pausing to look back at me.

"Don't you have Quidditch practice that started fifteen minutes ago?" I asked slowly, taking a step closer to him.

Scorpius blinked. "Oh yeah," he marvelled.

I sighed. "You'd better get back. Meyers is probably going to skin you alive for missing one precious word of her half-hour soporific lecture on the ever-important Slytherin strategy." I disentangled my arm from his. "Go on, I'll see you at dinner, yeah?"

He turned to face me, a small smirk playing across his mouth. "I'm late enough as it is," he said before looking at his watch again. "I'll risk an extra fifteen minutes."

"No," I argued, "You should get going. You'll be late!"

"I'll just blame it on you," Scorpius said, evidently amused.

"Oh come on," I said, rolling my eyes. "Just go, I won't care."

"Nope," he said, throwing his arm around my shoulders. "It's the first time we've had a decent conversation in practically a month. I'm not about to ditch you for Meyers." He grimaced.

"Oh alright," I said, giving in. I mean, I fancied him and all. I was amazed that I even lasted this long. "Strategy isn't the most important thing, anyway."

He glanced sideways at me from the corner of his eye, and I could tell that he did not agree in the slightest. "I'll have you know that strategy is the most important factor in a Quidditch victory," he contradicted as we made our way back to the secret passageway behind Dervish and Banges.

I shook my head and made a face. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that you'd rather spend time with me than listen to a long-winded speech on the history of Slytherin defence tactics, but a Quidditch match is all about the players. Strategy be damned."

As soon as I paused for breath, Scorpius intervened. "You can have brilliant players, but if they have no bloody idea what they're doing, the game's going to be rubbish," he retorted immediately.

"Nonsense," I disagreed, "If you have awful strategy, a good team can still pull through from natural talent alone. Just look at the Dragons vs. Hawks match last year…"

We continued to argue amicably for the rest of the way. We walked back up High Street, away from the castle. We passed Schrivenshafts and the Post Office, and then stopped in front of Dervish and Banges.

He was just in the middle of a speech on the finer points of Chaser dynamics, when he broke off suddenly.

"What?" I asked him curiously.

He took my hand and shook his head, a finger to his lips and a sly smile curling his mouth. "We're Heads; we shouldn't be in Hogsmeade on an unauthorized visit," he muttered.

I grinned and followed him as we crept around the back. "Then let's not get caught, yeah?"

Scorpius simply flashed me a quick grin over his shoulder before taking out his wand and muttering something above the cellar door. The metal quickly faded away, and I recognised the top of the ladder we had ascended earlier.

"Ladies first," Scorpius politely, standing out of the way to let me pass him.

I smiled and dropped down out of sight. A moment later, I heard a soft _thud_ as Scorpius landed next to me.

"Enough of Quidditch talk," I complained as we entered the gloom once more. "We're clearly getting nowhere."

Scorpius smirked. "Speak for yourself. I think I'm just a half-hour away from convincing you that you're wrong."

I snorted in disbelief. "As if," I said. "Don't you know? I'm always right."

He raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. I thought I was wrong once, turns out I was wrong. I was right all along."

"Sure you were," he said, shaking his head as he reasoned through my logic.

"Anyway," I said, waving his snide comment away with a free hand, "You're being stubborn, I'm right – end of story."

"Oh _no_ way," he said, his mouth lifting up into a half-smile. "I'm not quite done-"

"Oh yes you are," I cut him off, placing a finger to his lips. "This argument is pointless. We're probably the most stubborn people in the castle. Why flog the dead hippogriff to death?"

"Alright," he conceded, "but I have to disagree that we are the most stubborn people in the castle. That particular title would have to go to your dear old cousin."

I laughed. Al certainly fit the bill. "He's a right stubborn arse when he wants to be."

Scorpius scowled. "Albus," was all he said. Growled, more like.

"What's up with Al?" I asked, wondering what Al could have said or done to Scorpius to warrant such a cold response.

"Nothing," he said, his expression lightening slightly. "Just being an annoying git, as always."

"You sure?" I asked, looking up to peer at his face.

He smiled as his eyes lowered to catch mine. "Yeah," he breathed. He suddenly shoved his hands in his pockets and straightened his posture slightly. "I mean, he's going to chuck April tomorrow or the day after, if he doesn't chicken out," he paused again before finishing, _"again."_

I frowned and looked at the floor.

Merlin, where had I _been?_ I didn't think Al had said anything to me…

Bugger.

I had been too damn self-involved to even notice that my cousin's relationship was falling apart!

Bugger again!

However, Scorpius was still talking even while I was on the brink of having a major revelation. "Stupid chivalry, I told him he should just chuck her like a normal bloke," he was saying, "Who gives a damn about her reaction? Just try to keep the tears at bay: those were my words of advice." He shook his head in exasperation before continuing, "Merlin, if his eyes even water up I will _never_ stop taking the mick-"

"Scorpius?" I asked quietly as we reached the back of the mirror.

"Yeah?" he said, breaking off from his rant and turning around to face me.

"Am I really that self-absorbed that I didn't notice what was going on between April and Al?" I asked, my voice weighed heavily down with desperation.

"No," he said, laughing, "Not more than the average person. You're just really easy to convince otherwise."

Holy Merlin! He didn't think I was self-absorbed! I desperately wanted to snog him, but I thankfully I refrained myself. Just because I lacked that particular vice, did not mean that he fancied me, or anything so ridiculous, I reminded myself. Still, I felt a smile bloom spectacularly across my face as I delighted in his laughter. However, my internal victory dance was cut by short by Scorpius as he finished his thought.

"But it's what I love best about you."

_What?_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: *ducks* don't kill me for the slight cliffhanger! It was an idea that I was playing with about twenty minutes before I posted this chapter.**

**Please, if you have anything to say, leave a review! If it's a question, I'll be sure to respond and answer it if I can. Any suggestions are welcome as well; if you spot a grammar mistake or a plot hole, don't hesitate to tell me! I've had too many positive responses for this story to get too down if you say a spot it needs work.**


	12. Illusion

"_What?"_ I choked out after a moment.

I just managed to catch a flicker of emotion behind his cool grey eyes before he masked it with his usual expression of calm indifference. He blinked and paused before repeating, "It's what I love best about you." He shrugged and turned to duck back through the mirror.

I stood there a moment, stunned.

_It's what I love best about you_.

What the hell was I supposed to make out of that?

Really, Scorpius? _Really?_

COULD YOU BE ANYMORE DAMN CONFUSING?

It was moments like these that made me hate/love the stupid blighter more than ever.

Why, oh _why,_ couldn't I fancy someone who didn't make my head hurt with stupid mixed signals, cryptic comments and unanswerable questions? But _nooo…_ I had to go fall for the bloke with all that plus serious commitment issues and an inability to muster up the concern to display general social skills.

Oh yes, no one could say I didn't know how to pick a bloke.

Scorpius turned around at the sound of my palm smacking resolutely against my forehead. "Rose?" he asked, the questioning tone shining through his desperate attempts to keep from laughing. "What…?"

"Now what could you _possibly_ mean by that, Scorpius?" I demanded exasperatedly, wincing as I felt my forehead throb from the force of the smack. "Ow," I murmured quietly, grimacing in pain.

"By what?" he asked, looking genuinely confused. "I, er, am sorry that you felt the need to hit yourself on your own forehead?" A smile slowly started to break out across his face, and I could tell he was having a hard time keeping the laughter in.

I scowled. Yeah well, if you utter one chuckle mister, I'll Avada your arse so fast you'd never see it coming, insane Seeker reflexes or no.

Hmph.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Anything wrong, Rose?" he asked politely, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

Oh dear. He didn't have any idea what I was talking about. _Bollocks. _Clearly I had been reading too far into his words. He hadn't meant anything special by it. _Bugger_. Maybe he just felt guilty about the whole fight, and in the spirit of renewal thought he should be extra nice to me. That was possible, right?

…Bloody hell. Who was I kidding?

There was no way _Scorpius Malfoy_ would ever feel the need to be extra nice to _me._ In fact, I couldn't recall any time that he deliberately went out of his way to spare some spare compliment my way. At least, one that wasn't an insult at the same time. Somehow, he always managed to turn any flattery he might've had for me into something distinctly less… flattering. I didn't mind, not really. It wasn't like I ever had a true _compliment_ from the bloke – ever – and I couldn't really miss what I've never had. Still, I couldn't quite comprehend just what the bloody hell was going through his mind. I mean, who casually slips the 'L' word onto conversation like that?

…Apart from Scorpius Malfoy, apparently.

I swear, sometimes he made me want to Avada _myself_, if just to make all the headaches go away.

"W-What do you l-love best about me?" I asked, fumbling with his words.

Scorpius's eyes widened. "That you have a weakness," he said after a moment, a faint blush spreading over his prominent cheekbones.

My mouth fell open, and I hastily raised a hand to cover the giggle that was rising up in my throat. "_A _weakness?" I asked, "As in, _one_? Not one of many?" Honestly? I couldn't help but laugh. It was just so ridiculous. What the hell was he doing, going against seven years worth of teasing and playful insults?

"Yeah," he said, turning away from me to leave the cave.

Oh hell no. There was no way he would get off that easy. "Hold on," I breathed hastily, lunging forward to grab his hand.

I heard him give the briefest of sighs before turning around to face me. "What, Rose?" he asked, looking distinctly annoyed.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked, my amusement dying as I took in expression.

"Nothing," said Scorpius, slowly trying to wrest his hand from my grip, but I was firm. "Absolutely nothing."

I made a noise of disbelief. "Explain."

"Explain what?" he asked innocently.

"Do _not_ make me repeat myself," I told him sternly.

"Well, it looks like you will have to, because I have no fucking idea what you're talking about," he said sharply.

I flinched and dropped his hand. "I, um, er…" I said, heat flooding up my neck to my face. I coughed self-consciously. "Nothing."

There was a moment of silence, whereupon his expression slid from irate to contrite faster than Mum could recite the First Law of Fundamental Physiological Transformations of Transfiguration.

"Fuck," Scorpius cursed, biting his lip and looking frustrated. "Fucking hell, Rose," he said, his grey eyes searching beseechingly for mine, "Damn it, I swore I wouldn't do this," he muttered to himself as he turned away from me.

"Er, do what?" I asked in a small voice.

He sighed and turned back around to face me. "Let myself get angry at you," he said simply, one shoulder coming up in a half-shrug.

"Why - because I just make it too damn easy?" I demanded, my temper rising.

"Yea-no," he said, backtracking halfway through his answer. "No?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Pick an answer, Scorpius, and stand by it," I said coldly. "And chose the right one," I amended a moment later.

I saw his eyes soften a fraction as he reached up a hand to brush a stray curl behind my ear.

Oh bollocks.

I think I just went weak in the knees.

How positively _mental_ could you get? A little hair brushing and I was a big puddle of hormonal goo.

Pathetic, really.

"Yes, you, Rose Weasley, make it _too damn easy_," Scorpius started, smiling slightly at my expression which was rapidly turning sour.

Well.

Legs of goo or no, there was no way in hell that I was going to let him get away from insulting me. I would unleash the worst of my inherited Weasley temper on him… just as soon as the feeling returned to my knees. And the butterflies stopped doing the tango in my stomach. And the kinky, explicit thoughts stopped swirling around my brain. And when I remembered to breathe properly.

After I got all that under control, he'd have no _idea_ what cursed him.

Right.

I was too busy contemplating some kind of brutal torture that kept his perfect face free of harm while causing him extreme pain that I almost missed his words when he began speaking again.

"But I like that you're too easy to talk to," he continued, "Too easy to argue with, too easy to joke with, too easy to lo-" He broke off, looking alarmed.

I cast him a questioning look, which he took in for a moment before ignoring completely. "And, er, Rose," he resumed after a beat, "back to my original point, even though you make it too damn easy to get angry at you, you also make it too damn easy to laugh with you, to be around you." He smiled, and I felt my insides melt. "So," he chuckled, "I'll take it. The whole Rose Weasley package, anger and laughter included."

I was struck speechless.

After a moment of silence, Scorpius coughed, and his gaze dropped down to his trainers. "Er, right, Rose," he said, shuffling in place a little. "I'd better get back." He pulled back his robes from his forearm to glance at his watch and turned to leave. "Meyers is going to flay me alive for being this late."

I nodded dumbly, and before I knew it, he had crossed the distance between us and held me in a brief embrace. And then, before I could utter a sound, he pressed his lips to my cheek in the lightest of kisses before turning and strolling away, calling over his shoulder, "Glad we made up, Weasley."

Hekissedme… _Hekissedme… HEKISSEDME!_

On the cheek… but still!

It was a moment before my haze of joy had subsided to even realise that Scorpius had left. Good thing too, or else he totally would have noticed and mocked the euphoric, sappy look that was currently adorning my features.

I made my way back to Gryffindor Tower in a happy sort of trance, and before I knew it, I was lazing by my favourite armchair by the fire. Even when Al found me a quarter of an hour later, I was still oozing contentment from every pore.

"Spill," he demanded without preamble.

"Huh?" I asked, smiling up at him.

"Tell me what happened, Rose," he said slowly and deliberately.

When I didn't respond for a while, he amended, "On your date."

_That_ got my attention.

"What?" I asked, sitting straight up in my chair. "Date? What date? I didn't go on a date!" I said, startled.

"With Scorpius," he amended exasperatedly, shaking his head. "So, how'd it go?"

"I went out on a date with Scorpius?" I asked, thoroughly confused.

"Well, _yeah,"_ Al said, rolling his eyes. "What did you think you two were doing?"

"Er, going out for a drink?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Just the two of you? Skiving off class to be with each other, sneaking off to the village, skirting around the authorities, getting cosy in a secret passageway…" Al's voice drifted off suggestively.

"It wasn't like that," I muttered, face aflame. Honestly, Al was so delusional sometimes.

So, so delusional…

I frowned, and Al studied my changing expression intently.

He did have a point, though, I guess. Scorpius did take me out to Hogsmeade. I mean, he paid and everything. Then again, I countered mentally, he always paid for everything. Even when it was the three of us, he'd cough up the gold even when Al insisted on the most outrageous purchases to see how far Scorpius's purse would stretch. It went surprisingly far.

"It wasn't like that," I repeated stubbornly.

Al sent me a sceptical look.

"Really!" I exclaimed. "We went out, had a few drinks. That's _all."_

"Sure," he said in a disbelieving tone.

I frowned. "Al…" I started in a warning voice, "Don't you start. You'll put all sorts of ideas into my head, and before I know it, I'll make an even bigger fool out of myself than usual in front of him."

Al snorted. "You don't need my help with that, Rose," he muttered.

I smacked him on the side of his head.

"Rose!" he said loudly. "Knock it off!" he immediately swatted my hand away from his precious cranium.

"Prat," I murmured, slumping down in my seat, new thoughts swirling around my mind.

Stupid Al.

Stupid Scorpius.

Stupid sort-of not-really-date thingy I had been unwittingly coerced into.

Stupid _world._

"Look Rose," Al said patiently, "Just talk to him, alright?"

"I just spent three hours doing nothing but talking to him!" I reminded him, close to laughter. Honestly, what did the boy think we had been doing? Knitting pillow cases?

Al snorted. "Not about the important stuff," he said after a moment.

I rolled my eyes as I immediately caught onto his point. "Just drop it, Al. I'm not going to dump the whole fancying thing on him." I crossed my arms over my chest and stared him down.

"But, Rose-" he started pleadingly.

"No 'but Rose's, Al," I said sternly, "We just became friends again. I'm not going to bugger it all up with-"

"You wouldn't _bugger_ it up!" he said angrily, "If anything, you'd do the opp-"

"Whatever, Al," I interrupted, plainly frustrated. "Look, I got things to do. Hopefully I won't see you later," and then before he could object, I had left the common room, positively fuming.

I decided that I needed a walk and time to think. Muttering darkly to myself, I left the castle and proceeded past the greenhouses to the Great Lake. I stopped and leaned against one of the many beech trees along its edge, my mind whirling.

It wasn't a date.

It couldn't have been a date.

There was no way _Scorpius and Rose_ went on a date together.

I groaned and slid down the tree, cursing Al and my insanity that was making me think in the third person.

I quickly replayed the highlights of our outing together. Alright there were several signs that pointed to the whole That-Was-A-Date-You-Mad-Bint theory of Al's… but it couldn't have been. I mean, Al did have a point but he forgot one small teensy, weensy important factor.

Scorpius Malfoy didn't fancy me. He just didn't like me like that.

I mean, if he hypothetically did wish to date/snog/deflower/marry me, he wouldn't have spent nearly a month not talking to me. If he was as deeply attracted to me as Al made up, then he wouldn't have been able to go a single day without being near me, rather than ignoring me for weeks. Plus, there was that whole he-had-a-girlfriend thing going on with him. But really, Jade was such a bitch. I didn't understand how he tolerated her. He even basically said that they had nothing in common during our date-like-non-date date. Honestly, there were just too many mental hyphens going on.

Bloody hell, he was just so frustrating!

And then he had to oh-so casually slip the whole 'L' word into the conversation. That little stunt just about tuned my whole axis on its head, and now I was left trying to figure out what was up and what was down and what was happening and what was just make believe.

Rose Weasley: confusion personified.

There was anger too, but mostly confusion.

Because I _knew_ he didn't fancy me, and it wasn't like he was always jumping to take me out for a drink when we were friends the first time around. No, he had specifically done something we had never done before.

But why?

I scowled moodily at the ground and kicked at a clump of dirt, smiling ruefully in satisfaction as it dropped with a loud _plunk_ a metre or two away from the shore of the lake. I stood there a moment, watching as the ripples quickly lapped outward from the disturbance, making the reflection of the starkly bare trees and sparse clouds overhead shimmer and distort. I looked up as a couple of ravens flew out from the tops of the trees of the Forbidden Forest, squawking and cawing stridently through the still winter air.

I sighed and turned away from the Great Lake. I wandered around for a bit, letting my feet take me anywhere they wanted to go.

It was only as I looked around me a minute or two later that I realised I was standing right outside the entrance to the Quidditch Pitch.

Figured.

Even my subconscious seemed to be plotting against me.

Brilliant.

I simply stood there for a moment, debating whether or not to enter the stadium. Eventually, after calling myself a cowardly prat a significant number of times, I mustered up the courage to put one foot in front of the other. I walked through the entranceway, mentally preparing myself.

I climbed up to the first row of the stands and propped my feet up on the wall in front of me to watch the last of the practice. By my estimates, Scorpius had already been there for at least an hour, maybe more. I tilted my head skyward and watched the players zoom around high up in the air. Most of them were so absorbed in their practice that they barely noticed my presence; and it was only a quarter hour in that I heard Meyers send down one of her players down to investigate my presence.

"Rose?" a deep male voice asked, its location surprisingly close to my face.

Bugger.

Of course she had to send _him._

"What?" I asked, my eyes flying open. I instinctively jerked backward as I found his presence _way_ too close for comfort.

Or not close enough… hehe.

I quickly schooled my face in a neutral expression and met Scorpius's curious grey eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asked, hovering about a metre away from me in mid-air.

I shrugged. "Felt like getting some air."

"So… you're not some Gryffindor spy sent to sabotage our Quidditch practices?" he asked, his face a vision of pseudo-seriousness.

I held my hands up. "Oh, would you look at that, you caught me," I joked. Tilting my head, I studied his face. "Honestly, is that why Meyers sent you down here? To check that I wasn't some spy?"

Scorpius shrugged. "Wasn't my idea. But as she's practicing some crucial Keeper-Beater plays, I wasn't needed so I was free to come down here and bother you for as long as I liked."

"Oh joy," I deadpanned.

Scorpius laughed. "Your lucky day, Rose."

"Believe me, I know it," I said truthfully, but my intent was masked by my mocking tone. "Plus, we Gryffindors don't need to resort to spying and sabotaging," I said disdainfully. "We can win without such underhanded methods."

"Yeah, you lot take the in-your-face approach and just resort to fists," he muttered.

I was just about to retort back to his slur when Scorpius cut me off, changing the subject. "So, why are you here, again?" he asked, eyebrows raised. "As I recall, you tend to avoid this place at all costs."

"I only avoid it when my relatives are around," I said succinctly.

"Is that so?" Scorpius crossed his arms and leaned forwards to brace himself on the handle of his broom.

I nodded, blushing slightly. Hell, I couldn't help it! He just looked so damn good up in the air, on his broomstick, the air whipping gently at his robes and hair. It took all my willpower to retain some semblance of control over my speech and not drift off into an eloquent _"guhh…" _or two.

"Why's that?" he asked innocently.

I scowled, and he grinned as he noticed my reluctance to answer.

"Oh come on, Rose," he cajoled, drifting closer. "Why do you never come to the Quidditch pitch?"

I shook my head and tried to rein a hold on the smile that was threatening at the corners of my mouth.

"Curious, curious…" he muttered to himself, looking me up and down. "It's not that your relatives cannot stand you ogling my excellent Quidditch toned physique while I'm on the pitch?" he asked, his eyes alight with mirth.

"Sometimes I seriously wonder if you should seek help for your raging case of egomania," I hedged thoughtfully.

Scorpius began shaking his head slowly. "Been working for the past eighteen years; why fix what isn't broken?" he quipped back breezily.

"Yeah, well, you're going to get your nose broken any day now by one of your mad ex's if you keep going on like this," I warned. "Just you wait; one bird's bound to be so disappointed when she actually gets off with you that she'll punch you right in the face for her dashed hopes and dreams."

I laughed as Scorpius's face adopted a positively horrified expression. It remained there a moment, before it melted away to his characteristic smirk. "Well, that's just not possible," he said smoothly.

"_Sure…"_

"Don't you have some practice you need to get to?" I asked, nodding up to where the rest of his team was reduced to emerald coloured blurs in the sky.

Scorpius made a noncommittal noise and allowed his broom to drift down even further. "Not really," he said after a moment. He briefly turned his head to spare a glance at Meyers, who had remained stationary long enough to grab one of the Beater's bats and pretend to take a swipe at the Keeper, clearly demonstrating some new, probably illegal, tactic for the upcoming match in two weeks. "I think they can do without me for a moment," he finished dryly.

"If you say so," I murmured.

Silence reigned for a while. I let my eyes drift to the skies, and lazily searched for shapes in the clouds. As the minutes lengthened, I spent some serious time thinking. I hadn't forgotten my intent and reason for coming in the first place, though. I mean, I totally wanted to investigate the whole date-like-non-date date, don't get me wrong. It's just…

I didn't.

Because now, here, almost alone with him here in our corner of the Quidditch pitch and immersed in a comfortable silence… I could pretend that we did go on a date. I could convince myself that it did matter on some subconscious level to him like it did to me.

And there was nothing in the world that would make me open my mouth to break that illusion.


	13. Victory

"Go Al!" I screamed, watching my cousin zoom around the pitch, the Slytherin Chaser Zebetski hot on his tail.

"Foul!" Natalie said loudly next to me as she watched Zebetski deliberately ram into Al to get the Quaffle. Caught off guard, Al used one hand to steady his wildly spinning broom while clutching tight onto the red ball with the other. Apparently, his grip wasn't tight enough, as a moment later Zebetski wrested the Quaffle from Al's grip.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I saw Zebetski fly away triumphantly from Al's careening broomstick, making sure to loop the referee who had been looking the other way at the Gryffindor Seeker.

"We're going to _lose,"_ I moaned.

"We sure are with that attitude," she said, nudging me in the ribs. "Where's your Gryffindor pride?"

I opened my eyes to see Natalie looking at me inquisitively. "At an all time low, just with the score," I said in a morose voice. I jerked my head over to the commentators box, where a charming Hufflepuff fifth year was rattling off the names of the Slytherin Chasers in possession.

"Oh come on," said Natalie exasperatedly, "Look, the game has barely started! We're only twenty minutes in. We can still pull through."

"From 50 to 120?" I asked sceptically.

"It's been done before," she sniffed. "Or Hawley can just catch the snitch. We're fine," she finished bracingly, giving a big whoop as Al once again took possession of the Quaffle.

"And there goes Potter!" the commentator shouted gleefully. "He passes to Francis, who passes to Jones. Jones back to Potter. Potter ducks around Slytherin Keeper Mackaber, shoots, and scores! Slytherin still leads, 120 to 60!"

I yelled and cheered along with the rest of my house for Al. Always a professional during a Quidditch match, he gave no indication that he had just scored or that half the crowd was ecstatically calling his name. Instead, he busied himself with regaining the Quaffle from the Slytherin Chasers. Al was an expert flier, as the son of the youngest Hogwarts Quidditch player in a century and the Holy Head Harpies lead Chaser for five years, he learned to fly practically before he learned to walk. However, he never really developed a passion for the sport like others in our family. James had gone on to play professionally for England for a season before he was transferred to Romania, and Hugo was boasting to anyone who would listen that he knew a talent scout who had personally sought him out for his potential, despite that Hugo was only sixteen. And then there was Al, who never thought of Quidditch as a career and who only considered the sport to be a fun pastime.

"Well, we are thirty minutes in and so far no sign of the snitch," the commentator was saying regretfully. "Oh," she exclaimed, "Penalty shot to Jones for, oh what's the proper term – being kicked in the shins? That can't be right. Anyway, that's what happened. And Jones approaches Slytherin Keeper Ryan, shoots, and misses!"

The Slytherins in the crowd cheered as the match resumed.

"Bad luck, Jones. Slytherin is once more in possession. Kingston passes to Nott, who shoots… and misses too! Nice save by Winters. Gryffindor in possession. Potter passes to Francis-"

But the pass could not be completed, as a bludger, hit furiously by Slytherin beater Nichols, came careening towards the Gryffindor Chasers and forced them to scatter mid-throw. The Slytherin Chaser Meyers caught the Quaffle as it fell and began streaking up the pitch in the other direction.

I winced as I heard the Slytherin victory cries, and turned my gaze from Hugo's end of the pitch to stare intently at Scorpius, flying slowly about high in the air, above the rest of the players. From past matches, I knew his tactic was to stay above the fray. Therefore he wouldn't get in the way of whatever highly stylized formation strategy the Slytherin Chasers had planned, and he could keep an eye on the whole field from his position way up in the air. Generally he preferred to keep away from it all for as long as he could. From high up, he kept a light tail on Hawley, always hovering somewhere above him as he scouted out the rest of the pitch. Of course, if the match was looking bad then he'd come down and join the fray to help out his team mates with just as underhanded methods as the rest of them.

The game continued, and Gryffindor continued to lose. I felt so bad for Al, he was doing the best he could, given that his Keeper was out with a shattered right arm due to a spell gone wrong and the reserve had never played a formal game before. To top that off, one of his Beaters was playing lefty because he had badly fractured his other wrist the day before. All in all, it did not look good for the Gryffindor team.

I groaned aloud as I heard the announcer shout a quarter of an hour later, "And Zebetski scores again! Slytherin definitely has this match in control. 200 to 70, to Slytherin!"

Beside me, Natalie sighed loudly and gave her small Gryffindor flag a half-hearted wave. "You might be right, Rose," she admitted, leaning forward so that she could see Hugo flying below us, bat at the ready. "It doesn't look very good."

"Nope," I said shortly, my eyes still following Scorpius's path through the sky.

"I mean, so, we lose by around 200 points. If Ravenclaw wins against Hufflepuff by 50 points, then we could easily crush Ravenclaw," she mused. "Then, Gryffindor would be safe…"

I shook my head. "No way. Hufflepuff is surprisingly good this year, their reserves really stepped it up over the summer, and most of them made the team. Rivers is one of the best Beaters in at least a decade, I reckon." I got up to cheer as Al scored against Ryan.

Natalie scowled as she resumed her seat. "What does Al think?"

"I haven't asked him," I said, shrugging. "He's not too concerned, but then again," I grimaced, "Hardly anything can ruffle him."

"True," she contended.

I was just about to respond, when our conversation was interrupted by the commentator. "And it seems like Malfoy has seen the snitch! He's moving to the Gryffindor end of the pitch, with Hawley hot on his tail!"

My head whipped around to watch a scarlet and an emerald blur streak past us, almost at eye level.

"Go Hawley!" I cheered, standing up and screaming with the rest of my house. "Come on!"

"Go Gryffindor!" Natalie was shouting next to me, also egging on our Seeker. "Go Gryffindor!"

I could just make out that Malfoy was leading by an arm's length. Just as he passed the goal posts, I saw that he was reaching out his arm to grasp a glitter of gold that I could barely see.

And then _wham_.

I gasped aloud as I saw Scorpius nearly fall off his broom from the force of the Bludger that hit him in the back.

"And Gryffindor Seeker Hawley gets the snitch! Gryffindor wins, 230 to 200!" the magnified voice of the commentator announced to the stunned crowd.

"Yes!" Natalie screamed, jumping up in the air and cheering. "Gryffindor wins! Gryffindor wins!"

I was too shocked to muster another sound.

I mean, yeah, of course I was happy that my house won, but at the moment I was more concerned with Scorpius. Merlin, I hoped he was okay. The bludger had travelled a quarter of the pitch to reach him, quite a hard beating it received from my dear little brother.

"Merlin, Rose, what's with you?" Natalie asked pointedly, shaking her head. "We just won! Why aren't you jumping up and down for joy?"

"Woo," I said lamely, my gaze flickering back to the pitch to where Scorpius was slowly descending on his broom, a deep scowl etched upon his face.

Natalie gave me a bemused look. "Anyway," she said, turning away from me. "Let's head up to the celebration party, eh? It's bound to be a good one."

"Er, in a moment," I said, turning to see the Slytherin team shuffle back to the changing rooms. "I have something to take care of first."

Natalie immediately adopted an incredulous expression. Eyebrows raised, she asked, "What would that be? Why would you turn down an opportunity to consume free butterbeer and see a drunken Al take his shirt off?"

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. "Please, he's my cousin. I've seen him do that plenty of times when we were in nappies. I do _not_ need a repeat. Especially now that he's convinced that he's gained some nonexistent, invisible, manly man muscles." I shuddered. "I'll wait that out, thanks."

"Fine," she sniffed. "I'll go by myself. You take care of whatever you have to do. Just leave me to party all by my lonesome. All alone, with no best mate for company. All alone, with just a firewhiskey to nurse my sorrows! All alone-"

"What the bloody hell are you on about, you madwoman?" I interrupted, laughing. "All alone, my arse. You'll have the entire Gryffindor house to keep you company as you drink yourself into a stupor."

"Oh right," said Natalie brightly. "See you later!" and with that, she turned and joined the last of the crowd that was filing out of the stadium.

I waited a few moments before leaving my seat. I slowly walked down the stairs to the exit, thinking hard.

By the time I left the stadium and had traipsed over to the entrance to the Slytherin changing rooms, a couple of the team members were straggling out, looking moody and disappointed.

"Meyers?" I asked, approaching the Slytherin Captain as she emerged.

"What?" she demanded sharply, turning to me. "Oh, it's you, Weasley. What do you want?"

I could tell she was trying to keep her voice as even and polite as possible. "Er, just whether Scorpius has left or not," I said quietly, not too keen on making her even angrier.

"He hasn't," she said shortly before she turned away and marched back up to the castle.

I waited for ten more minutes, biding my time by pacing and thinking of what exactly I wanted to say to him. All I could picture in my mind's eye was his grimace of pain as the Bludger hit him and the bitter expression that he wore as he left the pitch after the match. I wanted nothing better than to make him smile.

Well, that and a good hearty snog in the middle of the Quidditch pitch.

But I'd settle for a smile.

Eventually I heard footsteps inside of the changing room, getting louder and louder. I quickly skipped to the door and waited in attention.

"Rose," said Scorpius as he caught sight of me, looking taken aback at my appearance.

"Hey," I said, giving him a small smile.

"Hi," he said tightly, before turning to bypass me on his way back to the castle.

"Wait," I called, catching up to him and grabbing his arm.

"What?" he asked abrasively.

I made a face. "Let's talk."

"About what?" asked Scorpius, looking bemused under his frustration.

"Things," I said vaguely.

He shot me a sceptical look. "Really, Rose, as much as I like talking to you, I don't think I can stand Rose Weasley's Reasons Numbers 150-170 of why Gryffindor is Better than Slytherin right now." He turned away from me to stalk off angrily.

"I wasn't about to gloat about the match," I said, stung.

Scorpius paused, and his caustic expression faltered for a moment as he took in my reaction. "Oh," he said softly, pausing midstride to look at me. "You weren't?"

"No," I said forcefully, releasing my grip on his arm and placing my hand on my hip instead. "But if you _want_ a lecture on how Slytherins are such sore losers they cannot even hear out their best mates, then I'll be happy to oblige."

"I'd rather not," he said shortly.

"Brilliant. I don't want to give it," I said, grinning.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration once he realised he couldn't get rid of me that easily. "Look, Rose, I'm really in no mood to have some heart-to-heart discussion with you right now-"

"Oh really?" I asked sarcastically. "I never would have guessed from your irascibly congenial demeanour."

Scorpius grimaced.

"And who said anything about some sort of soul bearing confession?" I continued, eyebrows raised. "For all you know, I could be asking you about Patil's most recent essay."

He paused and shot a fleeting look at the castle behind him. "Whatever it is, I'm supremely not interested, so let me _go,"_ and with that, he attempted to slip past me again, but I was firm.

"Why?" I asked, eyebrows raised. "So you can go back to your common room and sulk in a corner for the rest of the evening?"

"I don't _sulk_," he said, looking annoyed.

"Oh yeah?" I asked, laughing. "Then what do you call what you were doing after the first Ravenclaw Slytherin match of fourth year?"

"I brood," clarified Scorpius stiffly.

"I see," I said in a grave voice while trying not to smile.

"It's sulking with style," he said thoughtfully after a moment.

I turned to look at him, and noticed with a feeling of joy that the corner of his mouth had risen into a half-smile. "There's nothing stylish about a fully grown wizard pouting darkly in a corner for five straight hours," I retorted.

"_Brooding,"_ Scorpius corrected, turning to face me. "Not pouting, not sulking, _brooding_, Weasley." He rolled his eyes at my inability to deal with his inane semantics.

"Whatever," I said, shrugging. "You're still a pansy."

"I am _not _a pansy Rose Wea-"

I cut off his protests ann took him by the arm. "Come on, let's get a move on."

"Where are we going exactly?" he asked, raising his eyebrows but going along with me nonetheless.

"Back to the Quidditch pitch," I said, tugging him along. "I've been cooped up in the library for far too long."

"Rose, you just sat through two hours worth of sun during the match," he pointed out, digging in his heels slightly as I continued to practically drag him out onto the grass.

I made a face. "There were too many people to properly enjoy the sunshine," I said, tilting my face up to the sky as I spoke.

Scorpius frowned as he considered the holes in my logic, but refrained from commenting.

"You know, it's the first really nice day in a long while," I said, slipping off my robes and plopping myself down in the middle of the pitch. I kicked off my shoes too for good measure.

"It was perfectly fine yesterday," he said, staring around the empty stands.

"It was too cold to go out," I said, stretching out on the grass.

Scorpius shot me a look. "It was fine during practice."

I looked up at him, shielding my eyes from the sun. "You were exercising, that's different. I saw people out in hats and gloves, so don't you give me any of that crap, Scorpius."

"You know," he said, tilting his head slightly as he surveyed me from his standing position, "If I get the angle right, you head just about looks like it's on fire."

"Prat," I called lazily.

"Of course," he said absentmindedly, his eyes skimming over to the spot where he lost the snitch just a half hour ago.

"Come on," I said, bringing his attention back to me. "Sit down and pretend like you're not planning the best escape route from the pitch."

"I wasn't planning the best escape route," he said hurriedly.

"Sure you weren't," I said, smirking. "You were just waiting for the moment when you could run for the hills the moment I looked the other way."

Scorpius paused for a moment before joining me. "So," he asked, crossing his long legs lithely underneath him, "What's this all about?"

"Don't know," I said contentedly, lying down so that I was on my stomach. I idly fiddled with a tuft of grass.

He too lowered himself so that he was on his back, his body parallel to mine. One of his knees was raised in the air, and he had his hands folded neatly on his stomach. Our faces were just inches from each other, and his steely grey eyes were aimed heavenward, tracing the outlines of the clouds in the early spring sky. I watched him breathe for a moment, watched the rise and fall of his powerful chest and lithe hands.

"Tell me when you do, alright?" he asked, turning his head to the side to see my face.

"Alright," I agreed softly.

It was odd. We were friends again. We had been for the past month and a half, since January, but I could tell it wasn't the same as before. For one, there were these new silences in our conversations, silences that I could never hope to fill, no matter how much endless chatter I tried to shove in them. They went deeper than simple breaks when neither of us spoke; they were silences that seemed to stretch on for eternity and absorbed all knowledge we were keeping from each other. I knew sooner or later the silences would be broken, and all those words that went unspoken in would spill out uncontrollably, flooding the air and suffocating us with their hitherto unsuspected implications. It would be bad, that much I knew.

I pushed these slightly morbid thoughts aside and instead asked, "Does your back hurt?" I turned my head so that I could discern his expression.

He winced slightly as he shifted a little to get more comfortable. "A little. Meyers fixed me up in the changing room. Mostly. She didn't want me going to Pomfrey, as she would probably keep me there over the weekend and keep me from practice."

I nodded. "Do you want for me to take a look at it?" I asked, raising myself onto my elbows and pulling out my wand.

Scorpius hesitated. "Okay," he said quietly. He sat up and shrugged off his robes. He silently pulled off his jumper and then his vest. I saw him shiver slightly in the cool spring air, but he ignored it and turned around so I could inspect his back.

I nearly groaned aloud. Merlin, it should be illegal for one's best mate to look this good. I swear I was nearly salivating as I inched towards him. His skin was pale without even the barest hint of a tan. A few sparse blonde hairs were blowing about in the soft wind, but for the most part they rested, casually tousled, atop his head. I was just itching to run my fingers through them just to see if his hair was still as soft as I remembered from New Years Eve all those months ago, but somehow I restrained myself. His broad shoulders and upper back were free of any blemishes, and I could see the strong muscles of his back strain as he hunched over to protect himself from the slight spring breeze. Scorpius turned his head to say something to me, and I looked up, my face blank, before he could recognise the hungry look in my eyes as lust. Still, I was concentrating too much on controlling my expression that I entirely missed what it was he wanted to say to me. Whatever, better to seem stupid around him than a total slag.

Which I was _not._

…Mostly.

I let my gaze drift downwards to take in the ugly bruise that had spread all over his lower back from that bludger. Thankfully it wasn't swollen or turning funny colours, just the usual purplish blue. However, next to his remarkably pale skin, it did seem slightly darker than normal. I frowned as I took it all in.

"That bad?" he asked, peering at me out of the corner of his eye.

I shrugged. "I've seen worse," I said calmly, pulling out my wand and quickly muttering a few healing spells. I watched closely the bruised areas gradually lightened to a normal skin tone. After a moment, I allowed my fingernails to briefly graze over the lightest of the purple patches over the small of his back, but I jerked away abruptly as I heard him take an involuntary hiss of breath at my touch.

"Did I hurt you?" I asked worriedly, leaning over his shoulder so that his face was inches from mine, my curls just brushing his right cheek.

"No," he said in a strained voice.

Liar.

"I'm sorry," I apologised, repeating the healing spells again. "I'm almost done." I tried using my most business-like voice, terrified that he could see right through me and my pathetic excuse to get him shirtless.

"Right," he said shortly.

"Better?" I asked, tapping him lightly on the shoulder when I was done.

"Thanks, Rose," he said gratefully, turning around to face me. "Meyers did the best she could, but she's only a sixth year, and you know we don't get into the right spells until NEWT Charms and DADA."

I nodded.

I bit my lip from sighing in regret when he reached for his vest. All too soon, a fully clothed Scorpius was sitting in front of me.

Still, perhaps it was for the better. Merlin knows if he had remained shirtless in front of me for a moment longer, I'm sure he would have realised I fancied him something fierce, what with the puddle of drool that would have been dripping from my chin and my inability to say anything except an extremely elegantly phrased, _"Guh…"_ or two.

Or four.

Better to keep my mouth shut, really, and let him keep dressing.

I watched as he gingerly laid back down on his stomach, signing a little in relief when his back didn't react to his change of position.

"You doing alright?" I asked, tilting my head to escape the glare of the sun overhead. "I mean, as soon as I let you go, or you run away-"

Scorpius grimaced.

"-you're not going to go throw yourself off the Astronomy Tower or curse the nearest Gryffindor, present company excepted, right?"

"Of course not," he scoffed.

"You sure?" I pressed. "No post-game suicidal or homicidal thoughts?"

He nodded. "Yeah," he sighed. "I mean, we lost by such a narrow margin that we're still in the running, at least." He scowled. "There's going to be hell to pay when I get back."

I nodded slowly, an idea forming in my head.

"I just keep replaying the whole match," he muttered to himself, picking at the grass with his long slender fingers. "If only I saw that damn Bludger a second earlier—"

"No use thinking about it now," I sighed, sitting upright.

"You leaving?" he asked, a tinge of disappointment colouring his tone.

"Depends… You going to come with?" I asked, brushing grass off my bum and kneeling on the grass.

"Where are you going?" he asked, looking suspicious.

"I was thinking of going for a fly," I said, getting to my feet and peering around the pitch to check that all the stragglers had left.

It was a moment before Scorpius could utter a coherent word. _"You_, Rose Weasley, want to go… flying?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

"Yes," I assured him. "It's a nice day. We have the pitch to ourselves; I figured why not?" I turned to toss him a casual smile.

He simply stared up at me, surprise clearly written all over his features. "I don't think I've ever seen you on a broom," he marvelled after a moment, stunned.

"I don't like it," I admitted, "But I'm willing to make a sacrifice."

"What sacrifice?" he asked curiously.

"My pride."

"And why are you sacrificing your pride, Weasley?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"To get your spirits up," I said bracingly, "Nothing like a good mockery to get you all happy again, eh? I figure I can at least get my revenge when you laugh your arse right off your broom when you see me attempting to get in the air. Come on," I encouraged, grabbing his hand and helping him up.

He allowed me to haul him to his feet, listening intently as I kept talking. "You said you wanted to know why I never come to the Quidditch Pitch when my relatives are around," I said as we started walking towards the broom shed. "They're forever trying to get me flying." I shuddered. "I tried it a couple of times, but it never really took, you know? Anyway, once I let on that it wasn't the best thing since diced mandrakes, they never gave me a moment's peace over the whole flying thing." I sighed.

I paused as we reached the school broom shed. I cast a quizzical glance at Scorpius. "Er, which one should I use?" I gestured bemusedly at the school brooms that were neatly lining the walls of the shed.

Scorpius snorted. "None of those. All the school brooms are absolute rubbish, everyone knows that," he said, taking my hand and tugging me towards the other shed a couple of metres away that housed the team brooms.

"Ooh no," I said, slowing as we neared. "Al will positively _kill_ me if I even went within a centimetre of his precious Nimbus. You didn't see him when I almost careened into a badly placed oak tree two summers ago-"

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I'm not going near Al's broom either. Stupid prat would probably have a coronary if he sensed that my presence somehow sullied his precious broom." He leaned forward and reached out to grasp his own Nimbus 3000. "Here," he said, tossing it to me.

I caught it with the tips of my fingers. "Alright," I said, peering further into the shed, "So which one am I going to be using?"

Scorpius turned and smiled. "Mine," he said, selecting another one for himself among his teammates' brooms.

My mouth fell open. "Haven't you been listening to a word I've been saying?" I demanded. "I'm pretty sure this is going to wind up in itty bitty pieces scattered across the Quidditch pitch along with the rest of me."

"You know, as the person who selected this whole activity in the first place, you seem awfully reluctant to put it in action," he observed, shutting the shed and proceeding to the middle of the pitch.

"I just want to let you know what you're getting yourself into," I said, hurrying to keep pace with him.

"And now I know," he said, tilting his head to toss me a smile over his shoulder. "Relax, Rose. I'm sure you're not as bad as you let on," he said bracingly.

I shook my head. "I'm quite awful, really," I told him, blushing.

He studied me for a moment, his head tilted to the side as he took me in; clutching his broom in a death grip and swaying slightly as I stood to release some of my pent up energy. "Change of plans," he said abruptly.

"Oh goody," I said, sighing in relief and letting myself sag against him. I mean I wanted him to smile and all, but bodily harm? There was only so much I was willing to risk for this bloke. Then again, I'm sure if I fell off the damn stick of wood, Scorpius would save me. Sweep down and pluck me right from the air; snog me to see if my lungs were working properly; disrobe me to see if I had any lasting damage…

Or, far more likely, he could just let me fall.

That was real possibility.

"I really hadn't thought this whole thing through," I was babbling as thoughts definitely illegal in several parts of Britain raced through my head. "Nobody in their right mind would ever want to see me up-"

"I'm going to teach you how to fly," he said suddenly.

My throat suddenly went dry, and I could have sworn my knees almost buckled beneath me. "What?" I rasped out.

"You heard me, Weasley," he said, smirking at me, "I'm going to teach you how to fly properly, as you've clearly never had the right teacher."

"Oh really?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip and sending him a stern look.

"Oh really," he repeated genuinely. "Alright, hop on," he said, swinging his leg over his own broom.

"Ohhh no," I said, grinding my heels into the soft grass of the pitch. "This witch is remaining firmly on the ground."

"Mental," muttered Scorpius, before he jumped on his broom and slowly drifted over to where I was standing.

I tossed him a look of disdain.

He pressed his lips together, and his mouth curved down into a frown. He looked away from me, instead he tilted his head and his eyes skimmed the top few stands of the Quidditch Pitch. I heard him sigh slightly, and he hunched himself over on his broom.

"What now?" I groused, my eyes narrowing in suspicion at his doleful expression.

He slowly returned his gaze to me. "You _really_ don't want to learn?"

I gulped.

Merlin, were his eyes always that intense?

I felt my resolve begin to sway.

"…er, no?"

His lips twitched, but he managed to keep his sombre attitude. "If that's what you want, Rose," he said, letting out another sigh. "I suppose I can just go back to the castle and face Meyers and the rest of the Slytherins. You can get to the Gryffindor victory party. Go get smashed, get a quick snog, laugh at an equally smashed Al…" He paused before saying in a defeated voice, "Do you reckon the house elves will deliver firewhiskey to the Slytherin dorms?"

I rolled my eyes, seeing right through his routine. "You are such a drama queen," I retorted, tentatively throwing one leg over the broom. I pushed off slightly, so that I hovered a few inches above the ground. "Happy?" I demanded, glaring at him.

"Ecstatic," Scorpius drawled.

"Alright," I said, taking a tentative look down and then jerking my head back up to catch his amused gaze. "Now what?"

And so began my first proper flying lesson. It wasn't that bad. I mean, Scorpius did spend a great deal of the time sniggering quietly as I fumbled with the most basic manoeuvres, but then there were the times that he was a wonderfully supportive.

"That's it, Rosie," he called after fifteen minutes of teaching, "Don't go too fast; I wouldn't want you to get whiplash when you smash into that stray butterfly that's threatening to pass you."

"Shut it," I growled, my gaze narrowed in concentration.

He flew down to glide beside me.

Okay. So he really flew a couple metres ahead of me and hovered, watching with an amused expression as I slowly drifted past him.

"Now Rose," he chided, "Don't look down, just straight ahead."

I obeyed, and focused instead on his face, smiling slightly at my poor attempts at his favourite sport.

"Just like that," he murmured as I approached him. "Want to go a bit faster? My broom wasn't built for slowpokes such as yourself. It's a _racing_ broom, Rose. See how the clue's built into the title?"

I rolled my eyes. "Alright," I said, a little trepidation creeping down my spine as the broom rapidly started to accelerate.

"That's it Rose," Scorpius said encouragingly, effortlessly keeping pace with me.

I turned to smile at him before nudging my broom a bit faster. It complied, and I was soon speeding along the pitch. After a moment, he fell back to watch me from afar. It was oddly nice to have him watch over me without being too overbearing.

"Rosie, the turn's coming up in a bit!" Scorpius called. "Remember what I told you!"

"Lean into it," I shouted, grinning as I steered the broom around the bend. The trepidation had been replaced with adrenaline, and it was coursing through my veins like fire, making all my nerves stand on end. I suppose that was what blinded me to the reality of the situation. Mainly, that I had no idea what I was doing. I was rubbish at Quidditch, and a half hour lesson wasn't going to change that. I guess I just wanted to impress him. Scorpius adored the stupid sport, and I wanted to be able to share that with him. I'll admit it: when he was lecturing, I let my mind wander a bit. More often than not, it drifted to a picture of the two of us flying off into some random sunset. Incredibly sappy and romantic, I know.

While we were flying, it felt the connection strengthen between us, the connection that had broken and was steadily on its way to mending. True, it still had a long way to go, but I had a hope that flying would be the way to get it back like it was.

Turns out, it was a futile hope.

Why?

Because I was absolute rubbish at flying.

It was only as I felt my fingers slipping along the wood, that I realised I had lost control. My nails scrabbled uselessly against the grips on the handle as my body weight shifted further and further off the broom. I made one last swipe at the broom before I felt my tenuous grasp give way. I felt my stomach jump up into my throat, blocking all sound from escaping.

I couldn't even scream; I was so terrified.

Suddenly, a pair of arms reached out to slow my fall. I exhaled loudly as Scorpius caught me, his forearms slamming into my upper back and upper legs. I looked wildly around me for a moment, my eyes seeking out his face, as pale as death. I squirmed, trying to get comfortable in his arms, but his grip didn't lessen at all. His fingers were gripping me quite hard, digging into my right bicep and thigh.

"Fuck, Rose, are you alright?" he demanded, his grey eyes sweeping me over thoroughly.

"Er, yeah," I said a bit breathlessly, my heart still thundering in my ears and adrenaline coursing through my veins. "I'm okay."

He breathed out a sigh of relief, but there was still doubt lingering behind his eyes. "Let's get you to the hospital wing," he stated, starting to drift his broom down.

"But I said I was fine!" I exclaimed.

"Rose," he said warningly, his eyes giving me another once over. "You just fell ten metres. You're probably in shock."

"I'm fine!" I repeated, struggling a bit in his arms. "I've no broken bones, no fractures… _maybe_ I have a couple of bruises from where your surprisingly strong fingers are cutting off my circulation." I nodded pointedly to where the digits in question were currently pressing hard enough to create five blindingly white patches on my upper arm.

His grip lessened immediately. "Shit, Rose," he cursed, the guilt appearing in the depths of his grey eyes.

"Scorpius," I said, reaching up to brush stray hairs out of his eyes, "I'm fine. Just fell off a broom. I know for a fact Al does it at least twice per practice, more, if he's distracted enough."

His eyes softened under my touch, and I could see the passion drain out of him, slowly but surely. "I can't believe I let you do that," he muttered.

"Hold on," I said, pushing a hand to his chest to still his words. "You forced me to do no such thing. It was my choice to try to round the bend like a maniac racer. I'm sorry. I was an idiot."

His eyes widened immediately. "Pardon?"

"I should've been so reckless," I muttered.

"Reckless?" he repeated flatly. "Rose-" he started.

"I just wanted the whole lesson to go well so that maybe you'd be open to giving me another one sometime soon-"

"You'd want me to teach you how to fly?" he asked, sounding absurdly pleased.

"Yeah," I said, blushing slightly under his gaze. "I mean, it's a terribly useful skill to have, right? And All would never push me to the best of my ability, Hugo would spend far too much time laughing his arse off at my absurd attempts to defy gravity – even more than you would, I mean – and well, I'm not sure who else I'd ask," I rambled. "Not that either of them were my first choice because that would obviously be you, but-"

And there it was.

That wide, bright smile that I had been searching for since the beginning of my sorry little venture into flight.

Scorpius was beaming, and I was babbling.

I quickly shut my mouth, blushing to the roots of my hair.

"Are you asking me for flying lessons, Rosie?" he asked.

"If it's not too much trouble," I said shyly.

"None at all."

He was still smiling. It was just so bright and disarming, that I hadn't even realised I had shifted my position in his arms. My hands were clasped behind his neck, and I had subconsciously been leaning forward, hoisting myself up on my arms to get closer to his smile. And then, quite suddenly, it seemed like I could only focus on his mouth, and how incredibly nice it looked this close up. I tilted my head up and leaned in a little closer –

"Rosie! Hey, Rosie!"

I nearly screamed in frustration. "Albus?" I demanded, squinting at the figure running towards us.

"McGonagall crashed the victory party, and she was all fussed that the Head Girl wasn't there to supervise. I told her you were in the loo, but you'd better get back-" he broke off as he spotted the pair of us. "Oh dear," I heard him mutter. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked innocently.

"Shut it," I snapped, removing my hands from Scorpius and leaping off the broom, which by now was only half a metre above the pitch. "How did you find me?" I demanded, placing my hands on my hips and glaring at my cousin.

"The map," he responded easily.

"Right," drawled Scorpius from behind me. "Now, bugger off."

"But you have to come back! McGonagall will have my wand if you don't appear soon," Al said patiently.

I snorted.

"You'll see her tomorrow," Al continued, turning to Scorpius. "I'm sure you two can go that long without each other…" he finished, drifting off wickedly.

"Al-" I said warning, inwardly wincing at what he was implying. For Merlin's sake, could he be more obvious?

I cast a glance behind me and saw that Scorpius looked equally discomfited. He shook his head, sending Al a significant look.

Either Al was oblivious or chose not to respond because all he did was tug me along behind him despite my protests.

"Why'd you go and interrupt us?" I hissed as soon as Scorpius was out of earshot.

"Felt like it," Al said cheerily. "Anything to mess with the git."

"I was going to kiss him!" I exclaimed angrily.

"Oh," he said, looking surprised. "Sorry." Al offered me sheepish smile.

It made me no less inclined to give him bright green antennae and a tongue the size of a lemon, though.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to "Scorpius" (Reviewer, not the character) for giving me the kick in the arse I needed to actually get this finished. **

**Also, I've written a Rose/Scorpius one shot, but won't let me publish it. I keep getting an "Error Type 2" or something like that. Does anyone know how to fix it?**


	14. Proposals

"Just go up and _do _it for Merlin's sake," Scorpius said exasperatedly, pointing an accusing quill at Al as we lounged on the grounds near the lake. "You've been putting it off for _months_ now!"

"Month," corrected Al, his tone a bit surly. "One month. That's all."

"Mate, you should have done it last week at the Gryffindor victory party," Scorpius said. "Rose told me April was right sloshed anyway."

"Oh yeah?" Al asked, raising his eyebrows. "And when was I supposed to spring the bad news on her? When she was on her fourth firewhiskey or seventh? Forgive me, but I have a bit more respect for her than to take advantage-"

"Oi! That's not _taking advantage,"_ Scorpius snorted, "That's acting like an intelligent bloke and chucking her with the least amount of fuss." He sent Al a reproachful look.

"Yeah, fuss on _your_ end," I said, looking up from my book to send a mild glare his way. "As you aren't the poor girl waking up from a wicked hangover the next morning and wondering how in the world you went from singing _Transfigure My Love _atop the common room table to bawling your eyes out in the loo."

"Speaking from experience, Rosie?" Al asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No," I denied huffily. I twitched my book back impatiently in front of my nose.

"Sure she is," Scorpius said, placing a finger on the top of spine of my book and forcing it back down again to reveal my scowling expression. "Two years ago I distinctly remember hexing Smith the day after the Gryffindor Victory party while Rose was downing her weight in the ancient Malfoy hangover cure." He smiled at me playfully.

"I always wondered why you did that," Al said, looking thoughtfully at Scorpius.

"_Anyway," _I started in a significant voice, "I can't believe you put off chucking April again. I think you don't really want to break up with her in the first place." I studied his frown thoughtfully.

"You're such a pansy," muttered Scorpius as he scratched out a few of his words. Before Al could make a retort, he had turned to face me. "Oi, do you know the wand movement for the counter charm for that hiccupping curse?"

I sighed. "Counter-clockwise semicircle ending in a downwards twirl, also counter-clockwise," I rattled off dully.

"Brilliant," he said, ending a sentence with a rather impressive flourish. "Done!"

"Want me to read it over?" I asked, peering over the tips of my pages.

Scorpius shook his head. "I think I can handle this one on my own-"

"Oi!" Al barked, making us turn to face him with twin expressions of exasperation on our faces. "What about me?" he demanded, staring us both down.

"What about you?" Scorpius asked innocently, laying his quill down and making a show of giving Al his complete attention.

"Is there something you wanted, coz?" I asked, my gaze flickering to Scorpius before coming to rest on Al's distressed face.

"Help me chuck April!_"_ he said, flopping down onto the grass.

"She isn't that bad," I said. "She's become a good friend of mine."

Scorpius shook his head, a small smile creeping up the corner of his mouth. "But Rosie, you haven't dated her."

"No I haven't," I agreed, wondering where his point was going.

"You see, when a bloke dates a girl, it changes everything," he explained.

I scowled.

Al, momentarily coming out of his haze of self-pity, shot me a sympathetic look.

"Explain," I demanded, turning round and staring Scorpius full in the face.

He shrugged, heedless of the mounting tension I was feeling.

"Well, once you start a relationship," he started, "Everything comes out into the open, doesn't it? The girl figures she's done; she's got him and lets everything lose." Scorpius sighed. "Then, the poor bloke is left wondering where the hell the girl he found so attractive went and doing his damndest to lose the complete harpy that replaced her."

"That was incredibly judgemental and offensive," I said, aghast.

Next to Scorpius, Al was frowning. Clearly something Scorpius said didn't agree with him either.

"It was not," Scorpius argued. "Women change themselves for the blokes they fancy. You've even told me that."

"Well… yeah," I spluttered, momentarily taken aback, "But I was talking about little things! Like not talking too much about her cat or slagging up a bit to get his attention. Or," I exclaimed, "_Or…_ something as simple as learning the rules of Quidditch!"

Scorpius surveyed me with raised eyebrows.

I wasn't done. "Not big things! Not total personality changes like you're describing!" I threw my hands into the air exasperatedly and then pointed an accusing finger at him. "If she turns into such a raging manticore once you're in an established relationship, then it's your fault."

"_My fault?"_ he demanded, sitting up a bit straighter against his tree as he glared at me.

"Yes, _your_ fault," I repeated, crossing my arms over my chest. "You should have known about all that stuff before you dated her. Heard rumours about how she treated her previous boyfriends, noticed how bitchy her friends were…. There are always signs," I sighed.

Now, Scorpius had adopted a pensive expression, letting my words sink in.

"Look," I said, reaching over to put a comforting hand on his arm, "I know what Jade did was inexcusable and malicious, but it's over now, yeah?"

"Three weeks over," he said morosely. "And I'm still feeling the repercussions. Me losing the Quidditch match just made it so much _worse._"

"Well," I said, sending him a reassuring smile, "Al and I know that by now most of the castle doesn't hate you."

"Now," muttered Scorpius.

"Forget it, mate," Al said, propping himself up on his elbows. "You're well shot of her."

"_Al,"_ I said patiently, turning to roll my eyes at him, "He's been 'shot of her' for three weeks. It's the aftershocks that are the more troubling."

"Yeah, yeah." He waved my comments away with a free hand. "Just reminding him that at least it's over. He doesn't have to pretend to fancy her anymore."

Scorpius shrugged.

"I suppose that's a relief," I muttered, sending him a disapproving look. "But really, Scorpius, all that she's done since you two split up has mostly blown over." I shot all a warning look to back me up.

He coughed, obviously a blatantly not-subtle signal that he had understood what I was trying to convey. "Right, Rose," he said after a moment, "blown over," he repeated somewhat half-heartedly.

Scorpius raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment.

"Anyway," I started, clapping him on the shoulder.

He looked at me, startled.

"Got your eye on anyone new?" I asked, internally pleading that I would not regret my curiosity. "Not that I approve of you moving on to someone else so quickly, but I think you need a proper girlfriend to show you how wrong you've judged us witches."

"Er, not… new," he said, turning away from me to send a quick glance to Al, who immediately tensed up.

"Oh?" I asked, my voice a bit higher than usual. "And who-who would that be?"

I internally started crying. Merlin, why did I have to sound like Cornish pixie on helium at such a crucial moment?

Scoprius once again looked to Al before responding.

Curious.

"Er," he said, straightening his robes and rearranging his legs.

Was he stalling?

"Just a girl."

"Just a girl," I repeated, sending him an annoyed look. "Does this girl have a name?"

"Yes," Scorpius said superciliously.

Well. If he wasn't a right prat.

"And what would that name _be?"_ I asked him, temper rising.

"Rose," Al interrupted before Scorpius could utter one syllable.

"What?" I demanded, turning to face him.

"Her name," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah?" I said, eyebrows raised, "I just _asked_ him her name, you prat." He ignored the jibe, yet his emerald eyes seemed troubled as they roved over my face.

"Albus!" Scorpius said loudly, outright glaring at Al. His silver eyes were flashing dangerously, and he had bent over to lean menacingly over my reclining cousin.

Al, for all the death glares and violent waves of enmity that were almost visibly emanating from Scorpius, seemed rather unperturbed by the whole affair. "I just mean-"

"Albus Severus Potter," Scorpius cut him off threateningly, "You utter one more _word-"_

I interrupted him, bumping his shoulder roughly and taking his place in Al's main line of sight. "Why doesn't he want me to know her name?" I asked, watching as Al's eyes darted nervously from me to Scorpius and back again.

"He thinks you'd be… ashamed of whom he chose to fancy," Al said delicately after thinking over his words.

I blinked. Well, that certainly wasn't I had been expecting.

"Why?" I asked curiously, turning to toss an inquisitive glance at Scorpius.

He shrugged, acknowledging the truth in Al's answer.

"Not your usual type?" I guessed shrewdly. "Because if that's the case, then I'd totally approve. Really, even McGonagall would be a step up from Jade." I paused, a smile pulling at the corners of my mouth. "It's not, is it?"

"I do not fancy McGonagall, Rose!" interjected Scorpius sharply.

"That's nice," I said sweetly. I turned back to Al who was currently torn between avoiding my eyes and placating Scorpius with sheepish glances and half hearted shrugs. "So," I started, "Why would I be ashamed? Is she really that bad?"

"No," Al said fairly, shaking his head, "Just a bit unexpected."

"It's not a Hufflepuff, is it?" I asked, adopting a look of fake affronted surprise. Grinning, I jokingly nudged Scorpius with my elbow.

"No, she's not," he said quietly.

My smile drooped.

Merlin, he was serious. Serious about this new girl.

I felt like crying.

"So then what's so bad about her?" I asked, looking puzzled.

"Hard to explain," Al said, "And the stupid prat makes no sense at all when he talks about her. From what I gather, it's more of the fact that you'd be ashamed _for _her. He reckons he's beneath her, see?"

"Er, no I don't," I said, my expression of bewilderment remaining. "Why would Scorpius be beneath anyone?"

"A cornucopia of reasons, apparently," Al said, tossing Scorpius and exasperated expression.

"-Which will not be elaborated upon," Scorpius finished formidably.

"Ri-ght," I said slowly, "This being the stupid prat speaking, yeah?" I tried to muster up a smile, but I think the best I could manage was a sort of pained grimace.

Al grinned and made noises of assent.

I inhaled loudly, attempting to wrap my head around all this information. So Scorpius fancied someone new already, someone who he thought he had no chance with.

Brilliant.

And who could empathize better than I?

Oh why, why, _why,_ did the universe suddenly decide to complicate my life with a huge dollop of irony? I was already stuck with a heaping load of romantic misery ever since Christmas, wasn't that enough?

WHY WASN'T THAT ENOUGH?

"Nothing?" Scorpius's voice startled me from my thoughts.

"Er, nothing to say about what?" I asked, mentally cursing myself for not listening to him.

He scowled. "About my romantic dilemma."

"_Oh," _I said slowly, my mind racing to invent some sort of advice that would sound genuine but would instead royally mess up all prospects and future with the girl.

After a moment of silence, I gave my head a little shake and tried to clear my thoughts.

No, I would not resort to convoluting and abusing my friendship with him to maliciously ruin his future with another girl. For Merlin's sake, I was better than that!

"I don't know," I said eventually, giving him a sad smile. "I can think of any advice to give you." I shrugged and looked at him helplessly. "Nothing I've tried has worked for me."

Scorpius nodded once, face impassive, and then returned to correcting his essay.

"But," I started in a small voice, genuinely confused, "Why do you want my advice? I thought you didn't like it."

Scorpius stared at me. "What gave you that idea?"

"You did," I said, startled. "You said that you wanted me to stay out of your love life."

He gave a dry laugh that was devoid of every hint of humour. "Of course you'd remember that," he said bitterly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"It means that of course you'd remember the only lie I ever told you and take it as fact," he said simply.

Al snorted.

I jumped slightly. Damn, I'd almost forgotten he was there.

"The only lie?" he repeated, raising his eyebrows at Scorpius, "I can think of _plenty_ of others, mate-"

"The only one that mattered, Al," Scorpius said swiftly without looking at him.

"In your opinion," he countered. "Me, I can think of quite a few that matter, or would to Rose if she knew what you really meant-"

"Oh yeah?" I asked, my interest piqued, "What would those be?"

"Don't, Al," warned Scorpius in a deadly voice. His grey eyes narrowed infinitesimally and his quill gave the smallest of jerks, betraying the hidden anger resting just below the surface.

Al didn't seem to notice. "I won't," he said grudgingly, "But I think you're going about this horribly wrong."

"And your opinion has been duly noted and ignored for the past four years. What makes you think I'd change that now?" Scorpius asked with a raised eyebrow.

Al sighed and got up, saying, "I sometimes ask myself why I'm mates with you. You can be such an unbearable person." And with that parting comment, he strode away, back up to the castle.

As soon as Al was out of earshot, I immediately rounded on Scorpius, my glare piercing enough to pin him to the spot. "What have you lied to me about, _Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy?"_ I demanded, throwing my book to the side and crossing my arms over my chest.

"The full name? My, my, my, you do seem quite serious," he drawled, not phased in the least by my temper.

It just made me angrier.

"Tell me _now,"_ I hissed.

"Or what?" he called my bluff, a smirk playing across his lips.

"Or… or…" I said, my mind whirring through possible threats.

He raised an eyebrow at my stutters that quickly died out into silence.

"You have to tell me!" I exclaimed wildly.

"I have to do nothing of the sort," Scorpius said coolly.

"But… but," I struggled for words, "We're mates! Mates don't lie to mates without telling them about it!"

Utter rubbish.

Utter and complete rubbish.

Why do I even try to talk sense around him?

"Sure they do," Scorpius said, a genuine smile taking the place of his previous smirk, "Whenever Al asks me if I can help him get with Vivian Taylor, I always tell him she's totally out of his league when really everyone and their pet rat knows that she'd jump him in a minute."

I raised my eyebrows but didn't comment.

"I mean, come _on,"_ he said, "He needs to grow a pair someday and just ask her out himself. Be a true Gryffindor, and all that."

Against my better judgement, I let my angry expression relax a fraction. "Al is right, you are unbearable," I sighed.

"I hope you're not going to walk out on me too," he said, studying my reaction carefully. "Because then I'd look like a right prat, sitting here alone with no friends for company."

"You have friends?"

"Oi!"

"Joking, joking," I said, uncrossing my arms and shuffling over to sit next to him. "There's absolutely nothing I can threaten you with? Nothing to make you admit your lies, you lying little liar?"

He studied me thoughtfully for a moment, his grey eyes sweeping up and down my figure. "No," he said slowly.

He was lying. I was sure of it.

Suddenly a thought struck me.

Perhaps I could _seduce_ the truth out of him!

Hell, it was worth a shot. And it would be fun to watch him squirm.

I mean, of course it would be better if he responded enthusiastically to my shameless flirting and began snogging me like there was no tomorrow… but I quickly squashed this image from my mind before it got too out of hand.

I briefly congratulated myself on my quite brilliant plan.

"Scorpius?" I asked hesitantly, biting my bottom lip for effect.

His head swivelled in my direction, his eyes widening as he took in my face and the curl of hair that I had entwined around my finger. "Rose?" he asked, inhaling sharply as he suddenly found my body pressed against his, completely ignoring any claims to personal space he might've had. "What are you doing?" he asked in a choked voice.

"I wanted to read over your essay. I haven't done mine yet, and I need ideas," I explained, looking up into his face. I waved my hand vaguely in the general vicinity of where his essay was lying.

Scorpius raised his eyebrows. "I know for a fact you worked on it last Tuesday with Angela deNoir," he stated calmly, his face wearing an expression of supreme suspicion.

Damn. Caught.

"Well, we didn't finish," I lied smoothly, "We're still working on our conclusion."

"Alright then," he said, the wariness ebbing. He reached over for the roll of parchment to show to me, and I took advantage of his position to snuggle even further into the crook of his arm. Now I was resting comfortably with my cheek against his chest and my arm thrown over his torso.

This. Was. Pure. Bliss.

I inhaled deeply, smiling as I remembered his same scent from New Years so long ago.

His voice interrupted my musings and memories.

"Did you just _smell _me?"

Bloody fucking hell!

"No!" I squeaked, looking up into his grey eyes that held sparkles of mirth at my predicament. "It's allergy season," I explained – lied, really – hurriedly.

He cast an amused eye over my face before handing his essay to me. "It's all there," he said, "Warren's bit is at the top. I wrote most of it, though."

I hummed thoughtfully as my eyes skimmed over the words.

"So… Rose… what's this really about?" asked Scorpius, and I felt him shift slightly under my cheek.

"Hm?" I asked, looking up to smile at him.

"You could have asked me for my essay from where you were sitting. Why'd you move?"

I sighed exasperatedly. "So I could better pin you down when you try to run away." I wrapped my arm even more securely around him.

I felt him tense slightly at my touch. "Oh yeah?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "And why would I want to run away?"

"Because I'm going to demand you tell me the truth in a moment," I said, giving up on my plan to seduce it out of him.

Bloody bugger ruined the mood with his whole '_are you smelling me'_ comment, anyway.

"Rose-" he started warningly.

I ignored him. "Just tell me what you've been lying about. I swear I won't be angry," I assured him.

"Impossible," said Scorpius flatly.

"Tell me and let me judge my reaction for myself, thanks," I said coldly, sliding off him to sit up on my own.

"I'd rather risk this reaction," he said evenly.

"You are such a git, Malfoy," I said hotly.

"Name calling already, Rosie?" he asked condescendingly. "I never thought-"

"Cut the crap," I said impatiently. "Just fess up to whatever you're hiding."

"No."

I groaned in frustration. "How can you expect us to be friends if you keep lying to me?" I asked desperately, searching his face for answers.

I saw his expression darken slightly. "They're harmless," he said by way of explanation.

"Then why bother?" I demanded.

"Habit, I suppose," said Scorpius, evidently amused at his own answer.

Merlin, I was ready to just _slap_ him and that stupid smirk off his face.

"You are insufferable," I pronounced, searching around the grass for my things.

A moment later I looked over my shoulder questioningly, unsure of what happened to Scorpius's usual retort. To my complete surprise, I saw that it had been silenced by the presence of Nathan Greengrass. He stood behind Scorpius and was staring right at me.

"Hey Rose," he said by way of greeting once he caught my attention.

"Hi," I said, pausing midway from packing my bag.

"Could I have a word?" asked Nathan, his eyes flickering once to Scorpius for permission.

"Sure," I said, hiking my bag on my shoulder. "I was just leaving."

"But Rose-" I heard behind me.

"I'll talk to you later, Scorpius," I said over my shoulder.

I left with Nathan but not before I heard Scorpius's bitter expletive from behind me.

"So," I started once we walked back up to the castle side by side, "What's this all about?"

"In a moment," he said, flashing me a bright smile. "Not something I want the whole of Hogwarts to witness – well, I do, but not yet."

Before I could make heads or tails of what he was on about, he had ushered me into a small alcove off the Great Hall.

"Alright," I said, staring around the cramped space once I had realised this was his desired destination. "We're alone."

"Yes we are," Nathan observed. "Look, I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to with me this weekend to Hogsmeade?" He looked at me hopefully.

My eyes widened in surprise. "Like on a date?" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around the whole idea.

It was baffling.

"That's generally how it goes," he said, smiling.

"Er," I stared, unsure of how to proceed. "Nathan, it's not that you're a bad bloke but I don't, er, fancy you or anything. And I just don't think it would be right for me to date you when I don't think anything's going to happen. I'm sorry, but I don't think dating you would be a very good idea. I mean, I have exams too to worry about and Head Girl duties on top of that… I think a boyfriend would be a bit much. Again, you're a nice bloke and all but dating is not really on the table for me at the moment," I rambled.

At his wide stare, I started blushing furiously.

"I'm sorry. I'm babbling. What I mean to say–" I took in a big breath "-is that I don't think things would work out between us."

He stared at me for a moment, studying me thoughtfully.

I felt myself go even redder. "I'm sorry-" I started again, but Nathan cut me off.

"Shh, Rose. I'm thinking," he said, holding a hand up to silence me.

I waited for a moment, totally bemused.

"Er, if you're thinking of another way to convince me to go out with you, it's not going to work," I told him.

He didn't respond, obviously still deep in thought.

After what felt like ages, during which I became royally brassed off, Nathan spoke.

About bloody time, was all I thought.

"I can work with that," he said to himself.

Brilliant.

I waited here for a good five minutes with a bloke who might as well have been a _statue_ for all the company he was proving just to hear him _talk to himself._

Mental.

"Rose, what do you say to a little proposition? To help out a mate?" he asked, turning to me.

"Depends," I said shrewdly.

"Will you go out with me?" he repeated.

"No," I said flatly. Couldn't the bloke take a hint?

Nathan waved an impatient hand. "I know that. Not as my real girlfriend, of course."

"Excuse me?" I asked, totally nonplussed. "Why do you need a fake girlfriend?"

Nathan shrugged. "Angela deNoir."

"What about her?"

He threw me an incredulous look. "Do you really want to know the whole story?"

"Yes," I said shortly. "You asked me out when you clearly don't fancy me." I threw him a significant look. "And I want to know why."

"Like I said, because of Angela," he explained.

"What about her?" I repeated, placing my hands on my hips.

Nathan sighed and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hand. "You really want to know?" he asked slowly.

"I want to know what I'm getting into. That means back story included, Nathan." I sent him a good glare for good measure.

"So you'll do it?" he asked, his eyes lighting up in pleasure.

"I'm thinking about it," I told him. "I'm a sucker for relationship fixer uppers, if you didn't know that already." I shrugged.

He grinned. "I did know that Rose Weasley. I also know you're caring, smart, beautiful, charismatic-"

I smiled and blushed despite myself. "Flattery, although nice, is not going to get you anywhere. You were saying something about Angela?" I prompted.

"Oh right," he said. "Well, we've been hooking up for a while, but she refused to get serious. She claimed that I wasn't the type of bloke to settle down and invest in a long term relationship. About a week ago, she broke off… whatever we had together." He frowned at the memory. "Anyway, I still fancy her a great deal and I'd hate for her to get with another bloke. I thought I'd try to get her jealous as well as showing her that I can handle a relationship like she wants."

"With me?" I asked dubiously.

"With you," he said, smiling.

"And what makes you think I'd let myself be used by you?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

He looked mildly embarrassed at that. "I just thought that maybe there was something I could do for you. Kind of like a trade off for the enormous favour you'd be doing for me." He looked up at me shyly. It contrasted deeply with the sly nature of our exchange.

I didn't speak for a moment, thinking his proposition over. "Except I can't think of something you could do for me," I admitted.

"Not a problem," Nathan waved my comment away with a spare hand. "We'll figure all that out later."

"Er, okay, then," I said, nervously fiddling with my bag strap.

"So we're on for tomorrow?" he asked eagerly.

I shrugged. "Entrance hall at eleven?"

"Sounds great," enthused Nathan.

He turned to go, but I called him back before he could leave. "That still doesn't mean it was okay to lead me on like we were going to have a real date," I said. The whole thing still didn't settle well with me.

Nathan turned, surprise written all over his features. "It wasn't going to be a real date," he said after a moment, puzzled.

"You sure asked me like it was going to be one," I groused.

"Yeah," he said, "but that was for appearances' sake. I knew you didn't fancy me, so I didn't worry about getting too involved with you." He straightened his tie and gave me a little nod.

I frowned. "You knew I didn't fancy you?"

"Nope," he said. He threw me a look. "I was watching you and Malfoy together."

"W-what?" I spluttered, "Of course I – Malfoy and I – ha! Don't make me – of course not!"

Smooth.

So smooth.

James Bond had _nothing_ on Rose Weasley.

Bloody hell.

Nathan snorted. "Whatever you keep telling yourself, Rose." And with that parting comment, he gave me a little wave and left.

Bugger.

This date was going to be an utter catastrophe. Hell, this whole fake relationship was surely a one way ticket to disaster central.

How in the name of Merlin did I get myself into these situations?


	15. Catastophe

"You're sure you want to go through with this, Rose?" Al asked before taking a bite of his toast.

I nodded glumly. "I promised him, after all. And I keep my promises."

An odd expression appeared over Al's face. He shrugged, clearly not happy with my decision. I think after four months he finally gave up on me.

Who would have thought?

We were interrupted by the presence of one of our many ginger cousins. "What's with the long faces?"

I turned to see Louis Weasley plop himself down across the Gryffindor table next to Al. "As far as I know, _you,"_ he pointed at me, "have a hot date later today, and _you_," he pointed at Al, "are currently celebrating your four month anniversary. Why do you both look like you're marching to the guillotine in five minutes' time?"

"Don't fancy her."

"Don't fancy him."

Louis snorted. "Right pickles, there."

Al sighed and laid his fork down beside his empty plate.

"Still, I have a bone to pick with you, Albus," Louis said as he dumped nearly half the platter of bacon on his plate, "I could've sworn that you simply adored every little hair on April's pretty head. What changed?"

Al looked away and shrugged again. "Just not what it used to be."

"Bullshit."

Al looked up at Louis in surprise.

"Excuse me?" Al said after a moment, puzzled.

"You heard me," Louis said, brandishing a fork laden with bacon in Al's direction. "I'm calling you out. I don't believe a word that you're saying."

"Oh yeah?" Al countered, his green eyes narrowing.

Louis nodded vigorously, mouth full of bacon.

I took the moment when Louis was otherwise occupied to put in my two knuts. "Al, why are you so persistent in trying to chuck April? She's a perfectly nice girl, and I saw you two together not three days ago looking plenty happy. What is going on?" I crossed my arms over my chest and stared him down.

Al sighed and ran a hand through his hair, making the whole mess stand on end. "I don't know," he admitted, staring down at his plate of bacon and eggs. "I just think April and I have run our course. Time for me to move on to bigger and better things."

"No way," Louis said disbelievingly.

Al simply threw him a look.

"Come on, Al," I cajoled. "You've been putting it off for so long - I've begun to think that you really don't want to do it in the first place."

Louis turned to me. "How long has he been thinking of this?"

I smirked. "The past month."

"Woah," Louis said, staring at Al with wide eyes. "A month?"

Al immediately started to protest, "But I-"

Louis held up a hand to silence him. "If you've been avoiding it for so long you obviously don't want to do it. Best to quit moping and go snog April's face off, I say."

Al shook his head and muttered something. The words 'over,' 'more newts in the cauldron,' and 'reputation' could be heard.

I wasted no time before smacking the clueless git on the back of his head.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Louis grin in appreciation and slip away quietly, clearly unwilling to stick around for the inevitable argument.

"Oi, Rose, what the bloody hell was that for?" Al demanded, looking astounded.

"_That,"_ I said, glaring, "was for even _thinking _of chucking April over something as stupid as your precious reputation."

Al had the grace to look a mite sheepish, even under his anger. "Rose," he began, "You don't understand-"

I cut him off before he could continue and make an even bigger arse of himself in the eyes of women everywhere. "No, I don't understand," I agreed heatedly, "And I bet _April's_ going to be as confused as hell when you break up with her over nothing! Come on, Al. I thought I told you to treat witches better!"

"I must've rubbed off on him, then," a voice said amusedly from behind me.

"I've already given up on you," I said without turning around.

"Brilliant. I always wanted to be a lost cause at something," Scorpius finished, sliding in beside me.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, turning to him. "Slytherin table's over that way." I pointed to where several seventh year Slytherins were already seated.

"I know that," Scorpius said flatly, throwing me a look. "I just wanted to see what you lot were up to. Awfully boring with the rest of the Slytherins. _Speaking of which,_" he said, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, "I heard less than a minute ago from Flint, nonetheless, that you have _a date_ to Hogsmeade today."

"What of it?" I asked, lifting my nose in the air.

"Why didn't I know about it?"

I looked at him incredulously. "I don't have to check with you before I go on a date, do I, _Mum?"_ I asked pointedly.

"Well, no, of course not… I'm not… bloody hell," spluttered Scorpius, quite disgruntled.

"Why? Did you want to do something?" I asked, raising and eyebrow.

Scorpius hesitated before shaking his head. "No."

"Because we could meet up after I'm done with my date," I offered.

I watched with an interested expression as an odd closed expression came over his face. His gaze flickered momentarily to Al, who returned it with a casual shrug.

"That won't be necessary," Scorpius said coldly.

"What's with you?" Al asked, his emerald eyes flying from my face to Scorpius's. "It's not like you have any reason to _object_ to Rose's date, right?" Al seemed to be holding his breath.

"No," Scorpius said quietly.

Al exhaled loudly, looking disappointed. "Fine. Rosie, you have fun," he said as he got up from his seat. "Scorpius, don't drown yourself in the lake. And if you do, don't expect me go in and save your sorry arse because I won't do it. The water's freezing this time of the year." Al swung his bag on his shoulder and left, hopefully on his way to find April and mend things before they were totally broken beyond repair.

I went back to my mostly untouched food, an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. I could still feel Scorpius's eyes on me, and it was making tingles whisper at the back of my neck. It was very unsettling and quite detrimental to eating like a normal person. I think I almost missed my mouth once.

Quite embarrassing.

After a full minute of blatant staring, I whirled around to face him.

"What?" I demanded, setting my spoon down with a clatter. "What?" I repeated, glaring, when he didn't answer.

"Nothing," Scorpius said innocently, his eyes immediately shifting to look at Adelaide Verona sitting across from us.

"Don't give me that," I said sharply, hitting him lightly on the shoulder.

He turned back to me and raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Why were you staring at me?" I asked bluntly.

"I wasn't," he denied smoothly.

"You weren't?" I said dubiously, "I beg to differ. You've been staring at me for the past minute and a half. Why?"

"I wasn't," he lied.

"Do I have something on my face?" I demanded.

Scorpius hesitated. He seemed torn between wanting to tell me the truth and placating my rapidly building temper.

"Yeah," he said slowly, his eyes focusing on the bridge of my nose.

"What?" I yelped, grabbing a serviette. "Where?"

"There," said Scorpius, pointing to spot on my left cheek. "And there," he continued, pointing to somewhere on my nose. "And there." This time he motioned to my whole forehead. "And there," he repeated, pointing to a spot right below my right eye.

I stopped busily scrubbing my face like a madwoman to glare at him even as he continued to point out more places on my face.

"You were just pointing at my freckles, weren't you?" I accused, raising an eyebrow.

He grinned. "Course I was," he said, "Why? What did you think I meant?"

I snorted. "Prat."

"But really, there's one more, right-"

I swatted his hand away impatiently. "Don't," I said warningly.

He tossed me a casual smile before getting up from the table. "I'm off. I'm going to see if I can wrangle Al away from April to visit Gladrag's for a bit. My dress robes are a bit short, and next week is Mum's annual Easter ball."

I nodded, eyes widening. "And Victoire's wedding! Merlin, I hope my dress robes still fit. I haven't worn them in_ ages."_

Scorpius cast a critical eye over my figure as he stood before me. "I'm sure you'll look beautiful, Rose."

And before I could react, he walked away.

What the bloody hell was _that?_

I swear, Scorpius wanted me to go completely barmy before the year was up.

I left breakfast soon after, entirely disgruntled. I still had a full two hours before I was set to meet Nathan in the Entrance Hall before our big date, so I decided to freshen up and change.

As I entered my dormitory, I was greeted by a shout from Natalie.

"Hi," I said, brightening as I caught sight of her sitting on her bed and reading a magazine.

"Rosie," she said seriously, throwing her magazine in the general direction of her pillow and missing it entirely, "Are you seriously going on at date with Nathan? As in my brother? As in the bloke who has made it his mission to make my life miserable since the tender age of six?"

"Er, yes," I said, wincing slightly. "He asked me yesterday afternoon."

"Why, Rosie? Why?"

"Because I was free and I felt like it," I said hotly.

Natalie frowned. "Still… Merlin, you don't-" She broke off, looking embarrassed. After a split second she continued, "-Fancy him, or anything? Do you?" She looked like she'd rather have heard that I just got engaged to the Giant Squid.

I paused, debating whether or not to answer truthfully.

Well, it couldn't hurt.

"No," I admitted, sitting down on the bed next to her. "I don't fancy him. But I like him and who knows? Maybe something could happen." I sighed wistfully for effect.

It looked like she bought it, what with her whole disapproving expression and stubborn frown that had not dissipated for some time now.

"Fine," she huffed, "But I don't get it. You two together?_" _She paused to study me thoughtfully. "I don't see it at all."

"Really?" I asked, hopping off her bed to walk around to my chest of drawers. I began pulling out clothes and holding them up to my body experimentally.

In the mirror I saw Natalie shrug. "I don't know. I always thought he'd go for another Slytherin like himself. You know, connections and all that," she said slowly.

I raised an eyebrow and gestured grandly to myself. "And I don't have connections?"

Natalie blinked. "Er, yeah, of course you do, Rose," she said, looking flabbergasted. "Merlin, I'd forgotten."

I snorted.

"But really," she continued, her face turning serious, "Watch out for yourself, alright? I love my brother and all, but you can't really take anything he says at face value."

"I know that," I said, throwing a lilac top away in favour of a white lacy one. "I know exactly what I'm getting into with Nathan," I assured her.

Natalie made a little noise of disbelief but didn't openly contradict me. She languidly eased herself off her bed and stood next to me in the mirror.

I turned to her, holding up a new denim skirt that only reached to mid-thigh. "What do you think?" I asked.

"Good," Natalie approved, taking a moment to finger the lace at the hem of the top. "What shoes? Are you aiming for comfort or style?"

I scanned my haphazard array of shoes at the bottom of my trunk. "Comfort, I think," I said, holding up a pair of flats.

Natalie shrugged, but then her face brightened. "Oh, look at these!" she exclaimed, holding up a pair of strappy stilettos. "They're gorgeous _and_ they go with your outfit."

I made a face and took one from her.

I remembered when I got these. I had dragged Scorpius along with me on a shopping spree last year. As punishment of course, for being such an arse boyfriend to Melanie Matthews. I had made him wait and give me feedback for two whole hours as I tried on an endless stream of shoes and clothes. I think he had been three skirts away from Avada-ing me right then and there and leaving me to die when I finally let him loose. During those two whole hours, he had only expressed interest in these shoes. I had figured that I might as well buy them; they had been on sale. True, they were quite pretty, but that did not distract me from the knowledge that they were a death trap on heels.

"I've never seen you wear them," Natalie said suddenly, drawing me from my thoughts.

I stared at her with wide eyes. "And when do you think it would be appropriate to wear these in Hogwarts?" I asked, eyebrows raised.

"Fair point."

I took the other shoe and slipped it on, cautiously testing my weight.

"It seems alright," I said uncertainly, balancing with one foot on the floor. "I figure we'll probably be sitting in the Three Broomsticks or something, yeah? No heavy walking?"

Natalie shrugged and grimaced. "I don't even want to contemplate what my brother does during his dates."

"Fine then, be no help at all," I grumbled.

Natalie laughed.

I checked my watch. "I still have an hour and a half. I'm off to take a shower."

Natalie nodded. "Alright. I'm going to go find Sarah and Louise."

"Bye."

She left.

I then spent the next half our in a long shower, trying not to contemplate what I was about to do. I liked Nathan just fine, it was just that pretending to date the bloke wasn't something I liked doing. Lying to the whole school… I didn't fancy the idea. Not one bit. Plus, what if Nathan got too caught up in the act? What if he tried to snog me or something? I wasn't a prude but…

Snogging someone who wasn't Scorpius just felt wrong.

Which was silly, considering that we weren't and had never dated – but the feeling of betrayal was making me have second thoughts.

Still, I owed Nathan at least one date. I made a promise, after all. He didn't need me backing out at the last minute. That would be rude.

And so, an hour later, I left the girls' dormitories and proceeded down to the Entrance Hall where we had agreed to meet.

I didn't even trip once in my outrageous heels.

Score one for Rose!

When I arrived at the Entrance Hall, Nathan wasn't there. I checked my watch; I was appropriately five minutes late.

Fashionably late, but not What-the-Bloody-Hell-are-you-Doing-Here-It's-all-Ended-Already Late.

But where was Nathan?

I sighed and leaned against the marble banister, watching the couples come and go. I smiled to myself as I saw Al kiss April on the cheek before taking her hand and leading her out of the castle.

As I was sappily staring after April and Al, I felt a finger tap me lightly on the shoulder. I spun around, Nathan's name on my lips.

"Na-Scorpius," I said, surprise flooding my tone as I realised who was standing behind me. To my extreme displeasure, my insides started to squirm at his presence. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, his expression cloudy. "On my way to Hogsmeade and saw you waiting." He shoved his hands in his pockets of his trousers as he gave my outfit a once over, his gaze barely lingering on my shoes. "Thought I'd stop by for a chat," he said, stepping down from the last stair to stand in front of me.

"Okay," I said slowly. "But don't you have some robes to get fitted?"

"So eager to get rid of me already, Rosie? I'm hurt," he said sardonically as he leaned against the banister of the stairs.

"I didn't mean it like that," I said quickly.

He offered me a small smile. "Of course you didn't."

"Have you seen Nathan? He was supposed to be here nearly ten minutes ago."

"Haven't seen him," Scorpius responded, his face blank. However, I couldn't help but notice that he couldn't quite meet my eyes.

I frowned. "Is he usually late for things?"

"How should I know? I'm not the one going on a date with the bloke," Scorpius said, a hard edge to his voice.

"Simple question, Malfoy. No need to get all snippety," I said coolly.

"I wasn't _snippety,"_ he argued, clearly at odds with my choice of description.

I smirked. "What's with the attitude, Scorpius?"

"Bad day," he mumbled.

I put my hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I'm sorry to hear that," I said sincerely. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?"

Scorpius stared at me for a moment, clearly thinking hard. After a moment, he seemed to deflate before my very eyes. His posture drooped slightly, and he let out a heavy sigh. With a sad look he said, "Not really, Rose."

I smiled. "Hey, why don't we go flying later? We haven't done that in a while, and as I recall, you promised me at least one other lesson."

"Sure," said Scorpius, brightening slightly.

"Wonderful. I'll meet you on the pitch at four, yeah?"

He nodded, looking a little more cheerful.

I studied him thoughtfully for a moment. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do?"

"N-yes" said Scorpius slowly, changing his mind mid-word. "Yes there is," he said, his steely grey eyes suddenly boring into mine, "Just tell me this, Rose, do you fancy him?"

"Er, what?" I asked dazedly, a bit distracted by the intensity of his gaze.

"Nathan – do you fancy him?" Scorpius reiterated, a tinge of irritation to his voice.

"What – yes, I do," I said, blinking to gather my bearings. "Of course I do, I'm dating the bloke, aren't I?" I stared up at him, my face innocent.

Scorpius's gaze hardened. "Just… watch out for yourself, Rose," he said curtly.

Well. That certainly wasn't what I had been expecting.

Where was the dramatic jealousy?

Where was the passionate snogging to mark me as his?

Where was the blatant signal that read _Scorpius Fancies Rose and Would Happily Bludgeon Nathan Greengrass to Death_?

Humph.

I suppose I should have caught on before when I tried to make him jealous last time. That little experiment was a terrific failure in the typical Rose style. I mean, now he all he was doing was looking at me with a tinge of sadness in his eyes. His tone was more concerned than heated anyway. Brotherly concern, if I had to label it.

All in all, it made me feel slightly ill.

"I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself, Scorpius," I said tightly. "Just because I haven't dated anyone in a while doesn't mean I don't know how."

Scorpius's eyes widened in surprise. "Rose, no – wait, I didn't mean-"

"You didn't mean to what, Scorpius?" I demanded, marching one step closer to him and poking him in the chest. "You didn't mean to insinuate that I'm not a fully qualified witch? That I don't have experience taking care of myself? Or perhaps that I am totally innocent in the ways of men? Because I assure you," I said, crossing my arms across my chest, "That is not the case. So you and your rubbish insinuations can go to hell."

"That's not what I was implying, Rose," he said, alarmed. "Merlin, can't you just _listen_ for once? I don't think he's com-"

"Listen?" I repeated in a dangerous voice, "Listen, Scorpius? All I bloody ever do is listen to you. Listen to you whining about Jade, or about Lisa, or about Samantha, or about who you happen to fancy today. So don't you _dare_ tell me that I haven't been listening to you." I glared at him murderously.

Scorpius stood there for a moment, shock written clearly across his features. "Fine then," he drawled slowly as he straightened up and started to withdraw. "I clearly see that I'm not wanted. Have a good day, Weasley." He took one step backwards and left.

Oh fuck.

Not again.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you so much for the welcoming return to this site after my hiatus of sorts._

_Updates on Sunday and Thursday for the next couple of chapters._


	16. Delusions

As soon as I saw Scorpius's robes whip out of sight, I felt the beginning pangs of remorse flit through the pit of my stomach.

I shouldn't have lashed out at him, I knew that. But he just made me so _frustrated._ I never knew what he was going to say, and I could never gauge how he would react. I kept taking shots in the dark, and it inevitably ended up kicking me in the arse.

Bloody terrible, it was.

After a minute, I made up my mind. Nathan would just have to wait just a bit longer. His comeuppance for making me stand here like an idiot for fifteen minutes, I figured.

I had to find Scorpius.

I had to apologise to him.

I had barely moved ten paces when a hand on my shoulder stilled my movements.

Hope bubbling up in my stomach, I turned, saying, "Scor-Nathan?"

For there was my date, breathing so heavily that he was unable to speak. The top few buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned and one of his shoe laces had come undone.

"Sorry I'm so late," he panted, bending over slightly as he continued to gasp for breath. "I met Angela on the way here."

Despite his condition, he looked remarkably pleased with himself.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? And what did she have to say?"

"She acted like a jealous bint of course," he said smugly once he could enunciate a full sentence. "Just like I knew she would."

"You have a bit of lipstick on your bottom lip," I remarked casually.

"What?" he asked, wiping at the spot. "Thanks."

I shook my head. "No problem."

"Do you want to get going then?" Nathan asked as he offered me is arm.

"What?" I exclaimed. "Aren't you and Angela all sorted out?" I briefly sent a worried glance to the doorway Scorpius had vanished through not five minutes before.

"Not really," said Nathan sheepishly. "I think she likes the idea of secretly dating. You know, all the sneaking around and things."

"She's a lot stranger than I thought she was," I mused as I took his arm. We left the castle and began the short walk to the village.

Nathan laughed. "It's what I like best about her, you know? She's all plain and vanilla on the outside, but just under the surface she's one of the most fascinating birds I've ever met." He paused and then said apologetically, "Not that you're anything less than wonderful yourself, Rose." He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I grinned. "No need for empty flattery, Nathan. By all means, go on about Angela's kinky side. I want all the details," I said sarcastically.

He smiled. "I see Angela's not the only one with a kinky side, Rose," he said slyly.

"In your dreams."

"How did you know?"

I punched him lightly on the arm. "Hey, none of that," I admonished. "This is going to be an entirely civilised affair."

"You spoil everything."

"I try," I said dryly. "But I'm telling you now, this is a one time only thing."

Nathan looked at me curiously, questions written all over his features.

"I won't be known to the entire Hogwarts population as the losing end of the little love triangle you have set up," I told him bluntly. "You and Angela can sneak around all you want tonight and the next two days, but once we get back I'm going to let it get out that we split up over the Easter holiday, got that?"

Nathan's expression fell slightly, but he nodded. "I accept your conditions, Rose Weasley," he said seriously. He dropped my arm and offered his hand to shake on our new deal.

I had to smile at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. Luckily most people had already departed for Hogsmeade, so nobody was around to watch our odd transaction.

"Glad that we got that all sorted out," he said cheerfully before taking my arm once again.

We resumed our walk to Hogsmeade, our conversation light.

Once we reached High Street, Nathan paused and turned to face me.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked, sparing a glance at the surrounding shops.

"The Three Broomsticks?" I suggested, nodding my head towards the establishment in question. "It's usually packed, so there will be plenty of students to observe us on our date."

"Beautiful as well as wise," Nathan announced loudly before directing our course for the Three Broomsticks. "I knew there was a reason I chose you."

I unwillingly blushed at his flattery and allowed myself to be pulled into the pub. There were indeed a good number of people who had the same idea as us. I didn't see Al though, so I figured that he must have coerced April to go to Puddifoot's with him, the sad excuse for a wizard.

We eventually found a prominent table near the window where we could watch the multitude of Hogwarts students and villagers alike pass by.

We spent a couple of moments in comfortable silence looking out onto High Street and sipping our drinks.

I eventually broke it, my natural aversion to silence overpowering my good sense. "So, Nathan," I started, "what are you doing for the holidays?"

He shrugged and turned to me. "Probably going to spend time with my parents with Natalie and then go to Aunt Astoria's annual Easter bash."

"Sounds... fun?" I asked, disbelief lacing my tone.

"About as fun as ramming my head repeatedly into a brick wall for three hours," Nathan said gravely.

"Oh dear," I said sympathetically.

Nathan grimaced. "But don't tell Aunt Astoria I said that, she thinks I positively adore them."

"She won't hear anything from me," I said, winking.

He leaned back in his seat and his expression became stern. "Make sure she doesn't," he said seriously, "There are many important contacts that attend her functions, and it'd be a shame for me to lack invitations just after a year of coming of age."

"Don't worry," I said, looking around us at the people who were relatively ignoring our presence completely. I reached out tentatively to hold one of his hands. "I won't even tell Scorpius. Relax, Nathan," I chided lightly. "You're on a date, and a fake one at that. No need to be so serious."

Nathan sighed. "You right," he said after a moment. "But really Rose..."

"What? Do you want me to promise on the life of my saintly uncle the Boy Who was Chosen or whatever? Because I will, if that'll keep you from shadowing my every move until Easter," I said tersely. "I won't even tell Scorpius. Happy?"

"Satisfied," he amended.

"Good," I said shortly.

"Speaking of cousin dearest," Nathan said, a tone I distinctly didn't like creeping into his voice, "I trust relations between him and you are well?"

"Fine," I said stiffly. _"Not_ that it's any of your business."

Nathan completely ignored my thinly veiled warning, and instead asked, "Does he know you fancy him?"

I made an impatient noise with my tongue. "No," I said shortly.

"Well, he should," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "He deserves to know."

I remained silent, silently fuming in my chair.

Who was Nathan to give me advice?

Nathan, who was currently struggling to maintain his first long term relationship?

A relationship, mind, that wasn't even with the girl he was currently taking on a date?

Hell, his love life was even more screwed up than mine was.

And he wanted to give me advice!

The nerve!

Ha!

"Don't sulk," he said, and I could hear the laughter he was trying to keep from his voice. "It's not that bad, I promise you."

"Oh yeah?" I challenged.

"I know that for a fact," Nathan said superciliously.

"You do," I said flatly, my voice laced with disbelief.

"I do," he agreed, giving me a devious sort of smile.

I didn't like that smile.

No, not one bit.

"Come on," I said in a would be casual tone, "I'm on a date with you. It's rude to talk of other men I fancy." I batted my eyelashes for good measure.

For a moment Nathan looked like he wasn't going to let the subject go, but then he sighed and dropped his gaze from mine. "Fine, Rose," he said reluctantly, "You're off the hook."

I smiled in the light of my small victory.

"For now," he finished in a low voice.

"Good enough," I sighed.

"Now," Nathan began, "What to talk about?"

"I don't know," I said, fiddling with the straw in my drink.

Suddenly a thought came to me. It was a memory, of a couple of months ago, of when Scorpius and I made up. We had been sitting in the Three Broomsticks, _at this very table_, I realised with a jolt. The particular topic had only lasted a handful of seconds, but I guess it had resonated with me.

"You don't fancy me, do you?" I asked Nathan, my expression puzzled.

"No," he said slowly, in the same tone of voice as if he was speaking to a small child.

"Just making sure."

"Why?"

"If you don't fancy me like you claim, and have never fancied me like I'm beginning to believe, then how in the world would Scorpius hear that you fancied me?" I demanded, briefly revisiting my conversation with Scorpius in my mind. He had definitely been under the impression that Nathan had a thing for me.

Nathan snorted. "Because I told him I did, the big gullible idiot."

"Why in the world would you do that?" I asked faintly.

He shrugged. "Just establishing back up plans in case something went wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"I was making sure I had a backup plan if things with Angela didn't work out the first time around," he explained, "If she rejected me, which she did, then I had another way in the works to get back with her. Namely, you," he added, giving me a thankful acknowledgement. He took a sip of his drink before continuing, "Also, it had the double bonus of getting you to notice me. Normally, when a girl finds out a bloke fancies her, a little bit of her is flattered by the attention and she begins to fancy him back. What I didn't realise," he said, scowling, "Was that you already fancied Scorpius and so weren't as impressionable as I thought you would be."

"Merlin, but that conversation was _months_ ago," I said weakly.

"I plan ahead," Nathan said, shrugging. "Regardless, it all worked out in the end," he said complacently.

"I suppose it did," I said darkly, thinking of my own disastrous love life.

I mean, here, sitting in front of me, was a bloke who had it all sorted out.

I couldn't have been further from the truth of my judgement of him if I had tried.

Maybe his advice was worth taking after all.

I was just about to open my mouth and ask for Nathan's opinion on my current messed up love life when I noticed the familiar bloke standing behind his chair.

"Scorpius?" I asked, my eyes widening in surprise.

Nathan turned around in his seat to see his fellow Slytherin. "Hey, mate," he said, his mouth curving up in a smile.

Scorpius, conversely, was looking positively murderous. His eyes were glaring daggers at Nathan, and he had his hands balled into fists. It seemed like he was just barely refraining himself from punching Nathan in the mouth. He was easily the angriest I had ever seen him. Usually Scorpius dealt with his anger by suppressing it just under the surface, letting it out a little at a time in sharply barbed statements designed to mentally cut down his opponent. However, this time, he looked like he would resort to blows any minute.

By Nathan's grin and knowing expression, I quickly gathered that he had at least suspected that Scorpius would come by and interrupt us.

"You wanker," Scorpius spat in a low voice, speaking only to Nathan, "Didn't I tell you not to do this?"

"Do what?" Nathan asked in an innocent voice.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Scorpius said instantly, eyes flashing.

Nathan sighed and gave up his act. "Alright so I do remember your little 'warning.' _But _I do whatever I please, and it's not up to you to dictate my actions."

Scorpius seemed unconcerned with that little fact. Apparently his testosterone levels weren't bothered by practicality or logic.

_Men._

And he _still_ wasn't looking at me.

Not that I cared, or anything.

"Your baseness knows no boundaries," Scorpius was hissing even as I contemplated my lack of significance in the world. "Didn't I explicitly tell you not to drag Rose into your little scheme?"

His latest statement was marked by no glance towards me or any acknowledgment that he subject of his threat was sitting _right in front of him._

I was beginning to become slightly irked by the lack of attention.

I mean, they were both ignoring me as if I was an empty chair!

What the hell was up with that?

"She was to stay out of it, Greengrass," Scorpius was continuing, "And you were to back out with your tail between your legs with your dignity intact."

Nathan threw him a look that plainly said, _back off. _"And what you still fail to see is that you can't order me around, no matter how much you bluster on," he said, looking as relaxed as ever.

Scorpius took a deep breath, probably to calm down. He still looked ready to lash out violently.

And I didn't want to be caught in the crossfire.

"I can make your life _miserable,"_ Scorpius assured him. "Don't forget that, despite past grievances, my family name still carries quite a weight. Plenty of circles have not forgotten the generosity of the Malfoy family, and you would do well to remember that."

Woah.

Scorpius _never_ used his name as leverage. Normally he passed if off as nothing; it was easier to get along with people without name dropping left and right. Particularly a name like _Malfoy_ which undoubtedly brought up all sorts of political baggage that no-one ever wanted to deal with.

However, Scorpius wasn't done.

"The Malfoy sphere of influence is not to be trifled with. Especially in areas of society where you hope to operate in future," he added in a menacing voice. "So you'd better stay out of my way."

Nathan took a moment to take in Scorpius's threat. "Don't think I will, thanks," he responded. He then followed with a roguish wink in my direction.

Dear Merlin, what was he hoping to accomplish by royally pissing off Scorpius Malfoy, of all people?

I was beginning to question his sanity.

And mine, for agreeing to go out with this madman in the first place.

Scorpius's jaw clenched and a vein was popping in his temple.

I watched, astonished, as Scorpius banged his fist down loudly on the table. Thankfully, there wasn't enough force to upturn the entire table, but it was damn near close. Of course the slamming noise and the rattling of our drinks as they spun slightly on their axes drew the attention of several patrons and students near us. However, Scorpius paid the blatant staring no mind. He was entirely focused on Nathan, who by all respects should have been cowering in his chair.

He wasn't, however.

Merlin, that boy was unflappable.

Scorpius shifted slightly as he leaned over the table so that his face was hidden from my view.

"You naive little twat," Scorpius said, his voice lowering dangerously as the insults continued, "I told you to leave Rose the hell alone."

Still nothing in my direction...

"There are no words for how much you'll be regretting crossing me or her," he finished ominously.

What the hell was going on? And what the hell did it have to do with _me?_

Nathan's expression turned sceptical. "How about we let Rose decide for herself?" he asked.

At that, Scorpius's voice dropped so low that I could barely hear his response over the noise of the room. From the few words I could catch, I assessed that Scorpius was sounding positively hostile in his various threats and warnings.

After a moment, he straightened up. He was looking expectantly at Nathan.

Nathan shook his head adamantly. "I'm not doing it. Try your little act on someone else who can be intimidated, Malfoy," he said disdainfully.

Alright. Time for Rose to intervene.

"Hold on," I spoke for the first time, raising a hand to interrupt. "What the fuck is going on?" I demanded, glancing from one Sytherin to the other.

For the first time since he arrived, Scorpius seemed at a loss for words.

Instead, Nathan chose to fill me in. "Scorpius here caught me in an, er, _compromising_ position with Angela before I met you in the Entrance Hall," he explained.

I briefly stole a glance at Scorpius who wore a sympathetic expression oddly mixed with what seemed like guilt.

"Okay," I said slowly, my gaze hardening as I realised what must've happened. "So what?"

Oh fuck. He wasn't _jealous._ (Being ignored isn't too bad if you thought that the ignorer harboured a secret, burning passion for you and was attempting an admirable, if poorly executed, show of marking his territory, after all.)

This was all about my damn _honour. _He just wanted to tell me that my 'date' was some sort of cheater.

I felt like crying.

I mean, I didn't _really_ think that Scorpius was going to make some sort of dramatic show of jealousy… except I guess a small part of me _did._ Else I probably wouldn't be stuck feeling this rotten inside and out.

Scorpius's eyes widened and it was a moment before he could respond. "'So what'?" he echoed, eyes blazing with raw anger. "I caught the tosser getting off with Angela deNoire minutes before he's supposed to meet you for a date, and all you can say is 'so what'?"

"Well, _yeah,"_ I said, distinctly annoyed with his superior attitude. "What I mean to say is, why the hell are you so concerned with what Nathan's doing in his spare time?"

Again, Scorpius floundered for words.

"Because as far as I can tell, it is _none of your business," _I finished, grimacing. "Seriously, what's going on, Scorpius?"

He blinked. "What is wrong with you, Rose?" he asked, a tinge of desperation lacing his tone. "Don't you understand that this bit of filth is cheating on you?"

I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest defensively. "Of course I do. What I don't understand is why this is of any importance to you."

"Because you're my friend?" said Scorpius, the desperation in his voice quickly giving in to disgust. "Why are you being so dense, Rose?"

"Why do you _care,_ Scorpius?"

He was silent.

I swallowed. "Alright then. I think we're done here," I said, getting up.

"Not just yet," Scorpius said harshly, as he reached out to physically force me back down onto my chair. "Rose, what is going on? How can you still stand to even look at this lying wanker?"

"Quite easily," I said, my voice hard. "But you on the other hand…"

"Rose-"

"Unhand me, Scorpius," I said in a low voice.

He let go of me as if he had been burned.

"Merlin, you two are blind," Nathan cut in quietly.

We both turned to stare at him.

"Excuse me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at the insult.

Scorpius merely seethed in silence next to me.

Nathan leaned back in his chair and waved a lazy hand in the air in a gesture of flippant disregard. "You can tell him, Rosie. Else I think a lot of damage will be done, and I'd hate to think that I was responsible for it all."

He gestured for me to proceed.

"Er, what should I be telling him?" I asked.

"That you were in on it," Nathan said patiently. "Oh and by the way, this is me repaying the favour I owe you."

Scorpius's eyes widened at Nathan's words.

"You knew about this?" he demanded swiftly.

"Course," I said. "Honestly, I told you this morning that I could take care of myself. I told you that I knew exactly what I was getting into with Nathan."

Scorpius opened his mouth, but I cut him off.

"And you didn't trust me, did you?" I asked, a steely glint to my eye as I surveyed Scorpius standing before me.

The guilty shift to his stance definitely betrayed the truth to my words.

"Instead, you had some insane delusion that you would rescue me from Nathan's clutches like some sort of damsel in distress," I continued. "Well, that certainly is not me, and I thought you knew better. As much as it pains you to believe it, I can look after myself on a date. I do not need you butting in to defend my honour or whatever shit you think I'm risking by going out with a bloke."

I didn't know what was happening. My mouth and brain seemed to be disconnected. Words were formulating and tumbling into the air without any conscious thought. I didn't really mean to say these things, and yet they kept right on coming. The savage bursts of pleasure I got from watching him squirm weren't really worth the small feelings of guilt, but I still continued to talk.

"See, Malfoy, this was my choice," I said clearly.

I saw him wince as I used his surname, but I plowed on.

"I don't need you to rescue me," I told him.

Scorpius simply stood there, looking quite lost.

"Also, how I manage my love life or lack thereof is entirely my business. If I want to date Nathan or anyone else for that matter, it does not concern you. At all," I finished.

Throughout my little speech Scorpius just stood there, not moving, not speaking. All the anger at Nathan seemed to have drained from him, leaving him empty. His eyes had grown wider and wider as I continued talking and he was now staring at the floor, deliberately avoiding my gaze.

I snuck a peek at Nathan. His expression was troubled. Apparently my disagreement with Scorpius was an unforeseen element in his plans.

Well, screw him.

Slytherins were all deluded if they thought they could map out everything to their advantage.

Life didn't work like that.

People didn't work like that.

Love didn't work like that.

"If you'll excuse me," I said, suddenly finding the atmosphere stifling. I just couldn't be around either of them anymore. I jumped up from my seat and practically sprinted for the door, leaving Scorpius and Nathan behind me.

Pity I couldn't do the same with all the heavy troubles now weighing on my mind.

I stood outside the Three Broomsticks for a moment, breathing in deeply.

I didn't react as I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Er, that's not _quite_ how I pictured it going," Nathan said regretfully as he walked around to stand next to me.

"No shit Sherlock," I spat before turning on my heel and storming down High Street.

* * *

_A/N: I was playing Misery, the glee cast version of the song, on repeat while I wrote this chapter. I guess it shows, huh?_

_Check back next Sunday for the next installment._

_- Veri_


	17. Marshmallows

Not four hours had passed since my disastrous date before Al cornered me in the kitchens.

James had told me where it was and how to get in years ago, but before now I had never sought to enter. I usually left it up to Al or Louis to get foodstuffs if we were ever feeling peckish. But now, I was feeling so low that I simply craved hot chocolate and a place to wallow in my own misery alone.

But of course, where there's wishing and there's Rose, there's undoubtedly an Albus Severus Potter thwarting her at every junction.

Stupid map.

"Hot chocolate in March? With a healthy dose of moping on the side? Merlin, it's like your pet cat died or something," Al observed with an odd look as he stood over me.

"Mhh," I said into the lid of my mug.

"Stop downing your weight in liquid chocolate," he chided as he sat down next to me at the lone end of the fake Slytherin table underneath the real Slytherin table.

I wrinkled my nose at his suggestion and instead began chugging that cup of heaven like there was no tomorrow.

"Merlin Rose," Al exclaimed, looking alarmed. He hesitantly raised a hand and helped to lower the now empty mug from my mouth. "After seeing Scorpius-"

"Don't say his name," I nearly growled as I slammed my almost empty mug onto the table.

Al's eyebrows shot up practically to his hairline. He whistled slightly and his mouth pulled down into a slight frown. "That bad, eh?" he asked, stealing my hot chocolate and draining what was left.

"I don't want to talk about it," I grumbled, snatching my mug back from him. I raised it in the air and waved it about. Seconds later, a house elf was by my side with a steaming refill.

I gulped it down greedily, steadily avoiding Al's disapproving gaze.

"Fine. If you're not going to talk, then I'll just have to lecture," Al sighed once I made it apparent that I was not going to cooperate. "Just, hear me out, alright?" He waited for one more second before beginning. "First off, you're not going to like it, but I'm fully on Scorpius's side on this one," he said resolutely. "I think you acted like a complete nutcase, from what Scorpius told me. Why the hell you go about attacking him for, anyway? He was only trying to help."

I mumbled something indistinguishable in to my mug.

"What was that?" Al asked loudly. "Speak up, Rosie."

"Lots of reasons," I said in a clearer voice.

"Fine," Al said testily, "Name one then, and we'll progress from there."

I was silent before a moment.

There were a multitude of reasons why I acted the way I did. Billions. I could give him.

Now… if I could just find one that made the tiniest iota of sense.

I mean, I was full of heaps of righteous fury - that had to have come from somewhere, right?

"He thought I needed saving," I finally mumbled into my mug.

Even to my ears, my excuse sounded rather pathetic. I overcompensated with a huge gulp of hot chocolate.

"So would any bloke in his right mind," Al said flatly. "You were being completely unreasonable to a boy you supposedly fancy."

"It's not my fault that he wrongly thinks I'm completely inexperienced when it comes to dating!"

"Is that what this is all about? Merlin, birds are confusing…"

"What's confusing about it?"

"I can read between the lines, Rose. It may take a few tries, but I'll get it, just you wait. _However,_" he said, giving me an annoyed look, "It would be a hell of a lot easier if you would just come out and tell me what's bothering you."

I clammed up like Teddy in front of Uncle Bill.

"Fine," he said slowly, "I'll just keep talking, yeah? And you just interrupt me when I go wrong. So Scorpius interrupted your date. And you're mad at him because… he was trying to be a good friend?"

I didn't respond.

"Because he was trying to keep you from getting hurt? ...Because he was trying to let you make a fully informed decision of who to date?"

"Because he thought that I have no experience going out with a bloke!" I interjected angrily.

Al looked momentarily puzzled. "What's that?" he asked, blinking confusedly behind his spectacles.

I shook my head, already regretting my outburst.

He was silent for a moment, turning over my most recent bit of information over in his head. His expression was inexplicably tender as he came to his conclusions. "You're worried that your lack of dates somehow _matters_ to Scorpius?" he asked gently.

I winkled my nose in disgust. "Of course not, I would never presume any such arrangement of mendacious and or inconsequential ideas," I said scornfully.

Al merely smirked.

I merely scowled in return.

"Alright," he said, his face brightening, "It's times like these that I thank Merlin you're such a shitty liar, Rosie." His tone was almost _cheery._

Disgusting… Absolutely deplorable.

I _hated_ Al sometimes.

And Scorpius.

But mostly Al.

"So," he said as he stole my cup and took a sip, "Is that the reason you reacted so badly to a date that Scorpius pretty much had every right to interrupt? Because you got caught going on a phony date to help out a mate?"

Silence.

"Because, under normal circumstances at least - I mean ones that don't involve you shrieking at him like a banshee-"

"Oi!" I yelped instantly, "I did not shriek-"

"You might as well have," Al retorted. "From the way he was describing how it all happened, you might has well have been yelling. Would have made no difference to him or his foul mood."

"Foul mood?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. _"Scorpius Malfoy_ does not get into foul moods about girl problems_."_

"Well yeah," he said, rolling his eyes. "When interacting with a normal bird… but with you?" Al shrugged and grimaced. "No telling how that bloke will come out once you're through with him," he muttered.

Oh dear.

Well if that didn't just make me feel _terrible. _Usually Scorpius never let these types of things bother him. At least, in the type of way Al was describing. Merlin, it's no wonder he didn't fancy me. Of course he didn't, for why would he fancy a girl that can drive him round the bend like no other? All his girlfriends _combined_ didn't cause as much of a fuss as I did today.

I groaned and folded my arms upon the table. I glumly rested my chin on my arms and half-heartedly poked at a stray marshmallow that had toppled from a bowl near my empty mug.

"Tell him I'm sorry, yeah?" I asked miserably, turning to face Al. "Look, I was just embarrassed and a little brassed off at the whole affair."

"No shit," Al muttered. "And I won't tell him," he said in a louder voice as he looked down at me disapprovingly. "You can go tell him yourself, you big coward."

I didn't care much for that idea. I even told him so.

"Screw your courage to the sticking place," Al quoted as he nudged me in the arm bracingly.

I raised my eyebrows. "Isn't that what Lady Macbeth said before she _murdered_ that other bloke?"

"Blimey, maybe," he said, running his hand through his hair as he thought.

I made a face and decided _not to _tell him that murder looked like the more appealing prospect than admitting to Scorpius that was horribly sorry for everything.

He'd never let me live it down... Ever.

"So that was it? You were just hung up on the fact that you've had fewer dates than Scorpius?" he asked for clarification after a moment.

"No," I said, burrowing my head further into my arms so that my response came out a bit muffled. "I was angry that he'd seen through the sham and now knew that I couldn't score a real date."

"But isn't that the same-" Al began, looking confused.

"No it bloody well is _not,"_ I said in a hard voice, raising my head to glare at him.

"Right. Of course. Totally different. How could I not see the blatant differences?" he asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

I merely grunted and began prodding the marshmallow again.

"But Rosie," he tried again, "Did you ever think that Scorpius might just like you because of you? And that he could care less about what other blokes think of you?"

Maybe it was because I newly discovered that poking a marshmallow to death was insanely fun, or maybe it was because Al's advice was beginning to make sense, but I started to feel a little better. At least, the urge to avoid Scorpius like a rabid Blast-ended Skrewt had diminished slightly.

I almost felt ready to schedule a not-quite-accidental-accidental run-in with him sometime in the near future.

Once it was clear that I wasn't going to comment, Al continued in a comforting sort of voice, "And I know I'm family so I'm obliged to say this, but I'll let you on in a little secret that Scorpius thinks so too, but it's not your fault you haven't dated in a while. You're brilliant, and just because you don't have hoards of blokes badgering you for dates doesn't reflect badly upon you." He shrugged. "If anything, it reflects badly on the rest of us blokes. Er, not that I'd put myself in the category of blokes that should be asking you out." Al gave a little shudder and grimaced.

"I just wish Scorpius would say something like that," I murmured so quietly that I half hoped Al hadn't heard me.

No such luck.

"Yeah, you will too," Al said, shaking his head, "If he ever finds his balls from wherever you hid them," he finished in a low voice.

I took a sip of my now tepid hot chocolate and plopped a few marshmallows in. I sat there in silence for a moment as I watched them bob underneath the surface. They were the little tiny ones, about as big as my fingernail. Quickly, as the conversation lulled, Al whipped his hand out, sunk his fingers into my hot chocolate, pulled out about half my marshmallows, and popped them in his mouth.

At my outraged expression, he smiled, showing a browny-white mess of half eaten marshmallows smeared all over his teeth.

It was revolting, to put it lightly.

"Yuh know Roshie," he said with his mouth full, "I fink yup got fa wight idea." He swallowed. And without further ado, he called over a house elf. "Can I have a cup of hot chocolate?" he asked once the little creature had scuttled over and finished bowing.

"Please," I hissed out of the corner of my mouth.

"Please?" Al agreed, turning to face the house elf.

"Of course Master Potter, sir," the house elf replied squeakily and bustled off to fulfill Al's order.

"I freaking love the help here," Al sighed as the house elf came back half a second later, this time toting a tray laden with a pitcher of hot chocolate, a fresh bowl of marshmallows and milk.

The house elf beamed at Albus's words. "Thank you, Master Potter," he said, bowing low for what seemed like the billionth time and leaving.

"I dunno," I said conversationally once the house elf was out of earshot, "I always thought they were a bit creepy."

Al shrugged. "That'd be Aunt Hermione, I reckon," he said wisely.

"Probably," I agreed.

Al picked up one of the larger marshmallows and studied it thoughtfully. He turned it over and over in his slender fingers. Obviously deep in thought, he was biting the inside of his lip and his eyes had a glazed look to them before long.

"What is it, Al?" I demanded impatiently after a minute.

Really, the only thing of interest I had to look at was Fantastic Fluffy the Rotating Marshmallow in his hands. I dare anyone else to last as long as I did in almost complete silence with only marshmallows for entertainment.

"Nothing," he said slowly.

"Cut the crap," I said, frowning slightly. I deftly stole the marshmallow from him and began tossing it up in the air for fun. "Just pry the information out of me with your incessant nagging already. I'm beginning to gather dust, here."

"I do not _nag,"_ he said, stung. He snatched the marshmallow from me mid-toss and dropped it into his hot chocolate and out of my reach.

"Sure you do," I retaliated. Against my better judgement I began wishing Scorpius was here to back me up. Al baiting was one of our most dearly beloved past times, after all. "You nag me all the time."

"Rosie-" Al started warningly.

"And there's no use denying it," I continued, "Deep down you know I'm right."

Al scowled. "I wasn't going to deny it," he said unexpectedly, "What I was going to say, was that you should talk to Scorpius."

Well.

That _clearly_ wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

After all, I just got over the initial instinct to puke and run for cover whenever I heard his name.

I mean, what would happen if I actually talked to the bloke? I would probably end up fainting from sheer panic/terror/unspeakable horror.

Did most girls have this reaction whenever they saw the object of their fancy?

I'd hate to think of how mortified I'd be if I reacted like that. And I could just imagine his smug smirk that just screamed, _Hey Rose, I just made you faint by _breathing,_ how awesome am I? Birds are literally falling all over me. Worship me, now._

And the worst part was that I totally would.

"Don't take the piss," I warned Al.

"I'm not," he said, his expression serious. "You should be sulking together." He raised his mug in a toast to me and took a sip.

"Not _sulking,"_ I said, wrinkling my nose in distaste.

"Fine. Brooding, then," Al amended with a disbelieving shake of his head. "You know, he corrected me on that too…"

"I'm not doing it, Al," I said resolutely.

"You so are," he snorted. "Just look at you, hot chocolate and frown at the ready. You might as well be a portrait of Broody McBroodington, coz."

I rolled my eyes. "Not that. The talking to Scorpius part."

"Oh," Al said shrugging. "I thought you'd put up a bit of a fight."

"What do you mean 'a fight'?" I asked, throwing him a sceptical look. "Nothing you can, do or say will affect my judgement on the matter."

"Er, exactly?" he said, looking as if he was fighting back laughter. "Just share a couple of words. Ask him about the weather. Ask him about his exam scores. Ask him about his pants. I bloody don't care. I just don't want to have to deal with another month of fallout between you two."

I turned bright red at this last suggestion. "I'm not asking him about this p-pants," I said faintly, a blush beginning to stain my cheeks at the very thought.

"Fine. But I'm sure he would like to discus it with _you,"_ Al said snidely.

I shook my head resolutely.

"Weather, then," Al said impatiently. "Just talk to the bloke. Let him know that he hasn't blown the whole thing to pieces, the poor bugger."

I laughed humorlessly. "How can you even suggest that? Scorpius must know it's all my fault that everything happened the way it did." I shook my head and nervously. "From the way I'm beginning to see it, I basically tore him apart for no reason at all. He must hate me."

Al raised an eyebrow, a curious grin curling his lip. "So sure of that are you, Rosie dearest?"

"Course," I said immediately. "You aren't?"

"I'd say that he hates himself more than anything right now." Al snorted. "And, let me remind you, that _I,_ and not you, have actually talked to the bloke within the past two hours."

I grudgingly acknowledged the truth in his statement. "But still…" I drifted off, struggling to put my question into words. "How can he think that?"

"I think that's a question you should be asking _him,"_ Al said pointedly.

I shook my head.

"Honestly, your stubbornness knows _no_ boundaries," he muttered to himself. He cleared his throat before looking my square in the eye. "You, Rose Weasley, are going to speak to Scorpius before the end of the day. Just you wait."

"Is that a threat?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest defensively.

"No," he said smoothly, "Just a prediction."

"Okay," I said slowly, studying him intently.

I gaped once I realised what he was really saying a split second later.

Oh fuck.

From his intonation I could tell that the stupid git was lying. Prediction, my arse. That was most definitely a concrete event that he was describing.

"Don't worry about it," Al said breezily as he checked his watch. He looked up into my startled, slightly flustered, eyes, his face reading something akin to amusement.

I was _so_ ready to smack that expression right off.

He wouldn't even know what hit him.

"You look troubled, Rose," he observed.

"Troubled?" I repeated blandly. "Albus, I passed troubled three hours ago. I'm heading straight for _deep shit,_ now."

"I hear it's very nice there this time of year."

I wasted no time in reaching up to slap him on the back of his head. "Be serious, please," I said, glaring.

"Alright, alright," he said pitifully, raising his hands to fend off any more attacks. "Just don't hit me."

"Fine, you big baby."

Al grinned. "Anyway, I've got to get going." He snuck a peek at his watch, and his smile grew. "But don't worry. Company for your misery will be along in, oh I don't know… thirty seconds or so?"

My mouth fell open.

Oh _no._

For there was little doubt in my mind as to who Albus was referring.

Bloody hell- !

"Bye, Rosie!" Al called over his shoulder as he backed away slowly, an evil sort of grin on his face. "And play nice!" He spared no time to turn and sprint out of the kitchens as fast as his legs could carry him.

He was so going to die.

Six feet under, pushing up daisies, kicking the bucket … the meddling git was going to _pay._

Just as I was contemplating which type of torture was better, something classical with thumbscrews or something inventive with a penguin (he was rather fond of those), another voice interrupted my musings.

"Rose?" he asked tentatively as he began to walk towards me, "You there?"

I made an odd sort of noise, something somewhere between a sob and a greeting.

At times like these I honestly wondered if Avada-ing myself was even possible.

I mean, it _should._ Just point and say the words, right?

But with my luck all I'd end up with would be a horrendous nosebleed, or something similarly gross and unattractive for Scorpius to look at.

Better not risk it, I reckoned.

"Rose?" he tried again as he reached my side. "I just wanted to say that I-I'm sorry."

I groaned and dropped my head into my hands.

"I shouldn't have presumed all those things," he confessed, not wasting any time with preamble. His voice dropped disappointedly as he tried to gauge my reaction. "I do care for you Rose, and I guess I just got carried away. You wouldn't - I mean, I didn't intend-" he said haltingly as he ran a hand nervously through his hair. "You were right and I was being an arse. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to make this - It's just that I - I honestly would never - bugger," he swore lightly, looking furious at himself. He took a deep breath in and out before concluding somewhat anticlimactically, "I'm sorry, Rose, and I hope that you can forgive me."

"You're apologising?" I asked, dumbfounded.

Smooth. Way to state the obvious, Rose Weasley.

"Er, yeah," he said sheepishly. "And, I swear, I'll do it a million times over, Rose, if you'll just forgive me." He muttered that last bit, clearly dreading my reaction.

Oh Merlin.

"You idiot," I said as I raised my head.

"Excuse me?" he said, his voice betraying the barest hint of outrage.

"You're an _idiot_," I clarified, "And I'm a psychotic bitch, judging from the way I treated you earlier today. So what in Merlin's name are you apologising for, Scorpius?"

For the second time that day, he looked as if someone had hit him over the head with a frying pan.

Or several

...Hundred.

"I mean," I started, refusing to meet his eyes, "I went completely mad earlier and accused you of ridiculous things. I don't blame you in the slightest. If anything, I should be the one groveling at your feet. I was completely horrible to you, and frankly I don't understand how you can even stand to look at me right now." To my complete and utter humiliation, I felt a familiar tingle at the back of my throat and I took a deep breath as I tried to restrain myself from letting out the quiet sob that was threatening to burst forth. "I see now that you were only looking out for me with the purest intentions possible, and I'm so sorry that I m-mucked it all up."

"Oh Rose," he said, and I felt him slide into the seat next to me.

"I really didn't mean an-any of it," I hiccuped. "I just couldn't stop, you know? Am I just a horrible person, Scorpius? I was so… so_… oh I don't even know."_

I felt a hesitant arm slip around me, gently pressing me further into his embrace.

"You know, I should be infuriated with you with how you acted," he whispered into my ear, "Or maybe I should be grateful that you're taking all the blame for the situation when I undoubtably played my part, despite what you may think. Maybe even a little bit exasperated that we keep doing this to each other."

"All of the above, certainly," I muttered, fishing out another marshmallow out of the bowl and holding it up to him as a peace offering. "Although I don't like the sound of the infuriated part."

Scorpius took the marshmallow and hummed in agreement. I felt the calming vibrations through his thin oxford shirt, and it made me feel a little bit better.

"I do mean it," I said, moving one of my hands to hesitantly place it around his waist, binding him to me. "I was acting like a right prat and I totally understand if you never want to see me again."

Hey, that didn't mean that I never wanted to see him again.

I could be such an _ace _stalker if I set my mind to it. Heh.

I felt Scorpius's chin brush against the top of my head, and I could tell that he was shaking his head in disapproval.

"Now, I obviously don't want that to happen, or else I would have never given you my first voluntary apology in seven years," he said reassuringly, giving me a slight squeeze.

"But really," I said, my face serious. "I feel like I should do something to make it up to you. I'll… do your homework for a month. I'll buy you copious amounts of Honeydukes chocolate! I'll even enjoy bitch slapping Jade Li, if that's what you want. Fuck, Scorpius, I'll be your personal slave for a week. I don't care. Just tell me what I can do." I looked up at him pleadingly, trying to discern just what was going on behind those grey eyes.

I should really just stop reading those muggle romance novels. _Personal slave,_ indeed.

"Personal slave?" he caught on, eyebrows raised. "I do like the sound of that." The corner of his mouth raised up into a seductive half smile.

"Not like _that,"_ I exclaimed, whacking him in the arm with my free hand.

He really shouldn't say things like that to me. It was hardly fair, what with him being… well… _him._

I buried my face even further into his chest, hoping that he couldn't feel the rampant blush that was blooming spectacularly across my cheeks.

"You don't have to anything for me, Rose," he said quietly. "At least, nothing that you don't want to do."

I scowled slightly. Him being all nice and understanding was certainly doing _nothing_ to help the stinking pile of guilt I had thrown on myself.

Bah.

"Although more groveling would certainly be nice," he said, smirking.

I raised my eyebrows and looked at him with an expression akin to horror. "You're never going to let me live this down, are you? You're impossible… insatiable."

"In more ways than one," he said slyly.

I hit him lightly on the knee in warning. "None of that," I reprimanded. "This is a nice moment, and you're ruining it with lewd comments."

"'Lewd'? Rose, are you from the 18th century? Who uses the word _lewd_ in casual conversation?" he demanded, looking at me incredulously.

I shrugged. "I do."

He snorted. "I suppose so."

"There's really nothing?" I desperately tried again, "Nothing at all."

"I'll get back to you when I think of something," Scorpius sighed, "But for now, don't worry your bushy little head about it." He paused, and then started again in a surprised tone, "You know, your hair makes a nice pillow, what with it being so big and fluffy."

"Thanks," I grumbled sourly, "Cause that's just what every girl wants to hear."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

"You'll have the witches falling for your left and right," I teased.

I felt his chin move against the top of his head, and I could have sworn I felt the brush of his lips against my hair. Eventually he settled himself so that one cheek was resting against the right side of my head. I could feel his warm breath against my forehead and the matching movements of his chest as he breathed in and out.

"You know, Rose," he began, "I do believe we're-" he snorted "-_snuggling."_

I grinned, thankful that I was in such a position that he couldn't see my face. "I do believe we are," I said, giggling slightly. "Why, it's just a cornucopia of firsts, isn't it?"

"Indeed," he agreed. "I think the closest we came was New Year's Eve. Do you remember?" Even though his tone was casual, I felt him tense slightly underneath my cheek that was pressed to his chest.

"I do," I said, willing my voice not to betray anything.

Merlin. This was the first time any one of us had brought up that night. What was he playing at? Was he just making casual conversation? Why wait until now to reminisce? What the hell was stupid, confusing, wonderful boy playing at?

"You know," he ventured a good long while after I had responded to his question, "Why did you leave after we- the countdown? I remember coming back downstairs after waiting for Al to finish snogging April and you had gone. Poof, vanished into the night." He laughed humourlessly, and I could tell he didn't find it funny in the slightest but just needed something to do with his mouth rather than saying something he would later regret.

I shifted so that I could see his face. His eyes were miles away, probably in Godric's Hollow on New Year's Eve. The distant expression was a cover for his emotions that I was sure were just bubbling beneath the surface.

"My dad dragged me out of the house," I said, looking at him oddly.

Surely he knew. I mean, most of my family was there to see Hugo's New Year's dinner give a rather unwanted reappearance. I remembered half of the family surrounding Hugo, while simultaneously keeping a safe distance from friendly fire, suggesting everything from Mad Hippogriff Disease to a rare strain of Spattergroit.

Suddenly his eyes regain their focus and keyed in on my face, searching for answers. "Did Mr. Weasley see-" he began, but I cut him off. I knew exactly what he was hinting at.

"Dunno," I said truthfully, "But he made me come to St. Mungo's with my idiot brother."

"St. Mungo's?" he repeated, looking slightly dazed.

"Yeah, I mean he was going on and on about the importance of family sticking together in times of crises and all that rot when he should have just quit arguing with me and Apparated off to the hospital with Hugo. He was practically hacking up a lung at that point anyway. Plus," I continued, my long dormant outrage from that night returning slightly, "I was no fun that night and was a right nightmare to Hugo when we found out what was really wrong with him. I mean, there I was, just recovering from the best snog of my life from the boy of my dreams, and Hugo had to go pull a prat move like eating a puking pastile from decades ago because the idiot allowed himself to be goaded into it by Louis. How idiotic… can… you… get," I finished with a sense of increasing dread.

Oh fuck.

My brain finally caught up with my mouth.

_What did I just say?_

I raised my head almost mechanically to take in Scorpius's reaction.

His eyes were wide in shock and I felt his breath hitch slightly in his chest. But, worst of all, was his expression.

Blank.

Just… blank.

I might as well have asked him about the weather, for all the impact it had on him.

As I watched, he began to animate a little by little. He blinked a few times and his eyes zeroed in on my face, undoubtedly taking in my flushed state and nervously wringing hands.

"Rose…" he said slowly, and for some reason my name seemed different on his tongue. Foreign, almost.

I had heard enough.

I had seen enough.

I had had enough.

Without further ado, I ducked out from under his arm and skittered away from him on the bench. "Hey Scorpius," I said, trying and failing to keep my voice casual. "I have to go. Er, packing for the hols and all." I quickly got up from the seat. "I'll see you later, yeah?"

And without another thought, I sprinted out from the kitchens, completely ignoring Scorpius's shout behind me.

* * *

_A/N: Only two chapters left! However, I'm leaving for Xi'an on Friday, so the conclusion might have to be drawn out for a while... hopefully this won't be the case, although I can't be sure, as I have yet to write them._

_- Veri_


	18. Silence

I smiled at the group of us seated at the far end of the reception table. It was nearing the end of the family dinner that Aunt Fleur had planned to end the first day of our sojourn in France. We had all arrived in Marseilles late the previous night and invaded the Delacour house in the provinces by storm. Most of the family had left and were engaging in a friendly but fierce Quidditch match in the garden. As I had woken up rather late only had time for a small ham sandwich for lunch, never mind breakfast, this was my first meal of the day and Victoire, Teddy, April and Al had all lagged behind with me to keep me company.

"So… how are things, Rosie?" Victoire asked eagerly. "I need non-wedding related news, or else I'm going to go completely barmy."

Teddy smirked and stage-whispered over Victoire's shoulder, "Doesn't matter what you say, Rosie. She's already there."

"Oi!" Victoire exclaimed angrily, "I have been an exemplary bride-to-be. You will not convert my entire family to your side, Teddy Lupin!"

"See? Paranoid," he said gravely.

"Says the man who is convinced that _Bill Weasley_ harbours some secret plan to off him in his sleep before his stag night," Victoire said under her breath.

"That is not paranoia," Teddy countered. "It's a legitimate fear, Vic!"

"Sure…"

"Anyway," Al cut in hurriedly, "What's going on with You, Rose? Vic's already wrung me dry for gossip."

I blushed and muttered, "Nothing of importance."

"Nonsense," Victoire said impatiently. "You're Rose Weasley, of course there's always something going on. How's Scorpius?"

"Fine," I said stiffly.

Al smirked.

I wanted to smack that expression right off, but Mum was only a few seats away, chattering with Aunt Audrey about Lucy's talent for Arithmancy.

I hadn't told him what I accidentally revealed to Scorpius just yesterday; I shuddered to think of the combined forces of Victoire and Albus working against me in the romantic department. After I left Scorpius in the kitchens, I half expected him to follow me, but, like usual, it was only a nasty bout of wishful thinking. And so I had carried on with my plans to pack and left for France an hour or two later.

I snuck a peek at Al, who was currently interrogating April about the dress that she was going to wear to the wedding. (He wanted to match, the hopeless prat)

It was odd. Al missed his portkey and so was forced to Apparate to the channel, fly across on his broom for half the night and then Apparate again to the Delacour's once he was on French soil. He must've only gotten in early this afternoon, yet he seemed as chipper as ever for not sleeping.

"What's he doing over the Easter hols?" asked Victoire innocently.

"His mum has her Easter ball in a few days, so I suppose he's preparing for that," I said through gritted teeth.

"So he's not really busy until then, I take it?" she continued, an odd sort of pleased smile on her face.

"Probably not, no," I said slowly. "Why?"

"No reason," she said dismissively.

"Victoire…" I said ominously.

"What?" she asked, throwing her hands up in the air. "I can't ask a simple question anymore?"

"Apparently not," Teddy agreed, looking at me oddly.

I huffed and ate another piece of my quiche. "Why are you so interested in him anyway?" I asked after I had swallowed.

"I'm always interested in you and Scorpius," Victoire said, looking surprised that I even had to ask. "I keep telling you Rose, you're waiting too long for him to make the first move. A man like that's not going to stay single forever."

I stayed silent for a moment, willing myself not to give anything away.

"Really, Rose, you've been friends since just about forever. I keep saying, it's exactly like Teddy and me. Why, I could just see you walking down the aisle with that boy in a few years!"

Dear Merlin, why won't anybody shut that woman up? Of course that's all gone through my head too, but it was one thing to secretly indulge in forbidden thoughts of matrimony to one's best mate and another thing entirely to voice them aloud like that.

"I mean, you'd better do something soon, Rosie," she continued, unheeding my clearly less than warm attitude towards the whole thing.

"Well, I'll have you know that I already made it, and he chose to let me run off to France!" I exclaimed hotly.

I barely had time to resister her shocked stare before I felt the familiar pricking behind my eyes and tingling in the back of my throat.

_Merlin._ I thought I was all out of tears after last night, but evidently I was wrong.

"Rose-" Al started, but I didn't want to hear it.

"If you'll excuse me," I said brusquely as I got up, beyond the point of caring about rudeness, "I have to go iron my dress, or something equally menial."

I bolted up from the table and quickly strode back into the house. I located my room without much difficulty and threw myself on my bed.

_He let me go._

_He let me go._

Those four words once again reverberated around my skull, in the exact same crushing pattern that had danced around my brain until two in the morning the night before. Unbidden and unwanted, his blank expression drifted across my closed eyelids. I grabbed my pillow and let it muffle a rather unladylike groan of despair.

"You know," an observant voice came from the doorway, "Even if you're that upset about the state of your hair, that's no reason to suffocate yourself."

Oh _no._

Oh _fuck._

I abruptly unstuck my face from my pillow and sat straight up on my bed. With wide eyes and rumpled clothes, I took in the classically pristine image of Scorpius Malfoy leaning against the doorframe, his trademark smirk firmly in place. I felt the familiar tingles of anticipation, but whether they were from his familiar insult or his very presence, I wasn't sure. Either way I felt the beginnings of a truly outrageous blush spreading across my face as my heart started to pound.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"I came to see the wedding," he said in a very obvious tone of voice as if I was simple.

"You were invited?" I asked, astounded.

"As of yesterday evening," said Scorpius triumphantly.

"Why are you here?" I asked him suspiciously. If he was just here to take the mick because of my slip up last night, Merlin help him, they were going to have to bring him back to England in matchboxes once I was through with him.

"The wedding," he repeated, looking as if he was actually beginning to question my sanity.

I snorted. "I know that. Why are you here? In my room?" I clarified huffily. "Al's downstairs, as are the soon-to-be married couple if you want to convey your felicitations."

"Ah, about that," he said, pushing himself off the doorway and sauntering over to sit on the bed next to me.

I backed up away from as far as the headboard allowed.

He sent me a bemused look as I glared at him. "I came here to see you," he said, smirking, "I decided to call in that favour you promised me."

"Which one?" I asked, positively dreading his answer.

I had a sinking feeling I already knew which one he was going to take advantage of.

"The personal slave rather caught my fancy," he said, his smirk widening into a grin.

_"Oh no,_" I said, shaking my head rapidly. "I'm not doing anything you say, Malfoy."

"But Rosie, you _promised," _he reminded me sternly. "And I _know_ you don't go back on your promises."

"I'll make an exception just for you," I said coldly. "Now get out." I nodded pointedly in the direction of the door.

"Rosie, come on," he said, his grin not faltering at all, "You were so keen to make amends with me through whatever unconventional methods you could think of. What happened?"

"You know what happened, Malfoy," I said grimly, closing my eyes as I prayed for patience. "Now leave."

"But still," he said, grey eyes twinkling with excitement, "I'd like to hear it again."

"I'm as pleased as pumpkin juice that I could say something that resonated so deeply with you," I said sarcastically. "But, to put it simply, there's no fucking way in hell that I'll repeat anything I said to you last night. _Goodbye."_

The stubborn arse didn't budge one centimetre.

"Can't get rid of me so easily, can you?" he said smoothly, sidling up closer to me on my bed even as I continued to inch away. "But by all means, keep trying, Weasley."

I sighed. Merlin, he was being insufferable. "No," I said resolutely, crossing my arms over my chest for emphasis.

"But Rosie-"

"Bugger off, Scorpius," I nearly growled.

"Say it and I'll leave," he said cheerfully.

"You're the most vexing, mind-bogglingly tenacious boy I've ever had the misfortune of meeting," I said swiftly. "I hope you _die. _Alone. In a cupboard somewhere."

Serves him right for taking the piss. I was royally brassed off at him. The stupid blighter should just go away and come back when I'm over my little nonsensical bout of Scorpius-fancying.

… which should be any decade now, really.

He raised an eyebrow at my response. "For someone who boasts the most impressive memory of her year, you are certainly failing at recalling a simple sentence from last night."

"Get out," I repeated in a deadly sort of voice.

"Make me," he said as he leaned forward over me. Of course he would accompany that statement with a suggestive leer.

"Get away from me," I said warningly, "Before I do something I'll regret."

"What, like jumping me here and now?" Scorpius asked

"Yes!" I said forcefully without thinking.

He seemed momentarily taken aback at the volume of that one word.

"Merlin, is this some kind of game to you, Malfoy?" I demanded, my temper quickly rising. "Are you just going to take the piss until I curse you into an oblivion? Because that's where this is heading, if you don't watch out. You know, I always suspected it would be such a relief for you to know that I fancy you, but so far it's been an even worse nightmare than when you were living in ignorance. Now all I can do is refrain from snogging you within an inch of your life or conversely hitting you with so many hexes that you could feel a fraction of what I'm feeling right now. You know, I'd Obliviate you right now if I wasn't scared that I'd botch it all up because I can't think straight around you anymore." By the end of my tirade, I was breathing quite heavily and I could feel that my heartbeat was erratic.

As I spoke, the mischievous light behind his sliver eyes dimmed slightly. "Oh Rose…" he drifted off.

"What?" I asked harshly. "Just don't say another word. Just… don't. Stay here, if you must, but Merlin have mercy on you if you so much as utter one more _syllable." _

To my complete surprise he did as he was told, and silence reigned for a full minute and a half. He just sat there, staring at me as if with new eyes. His smirk had faded, as had his joking attitude from earlier. Instead he had the impression of being uncharacteristically solemn. After a minute of simply sitting there, him staring at me, me steadily avoiding his gaze, he shifted slightly onto his hands and knees to shuffle around the bed. At first I was wary of his movements, so slow and hesitant rather than his usual confident, comfortable gestures that he normally carried about him. But when I realised that he was simply moving to sit next to me against the headboard, I relaxed slightly and even chanced a look at his expression. It was surprisingly unguarded.

"Really, Rose," he said cautiously once we had lain there for several moments, "I do wish you'd take me up on my offer."

"What? The personal slave thing?" I asked quietly as I fiddled with the edge of the bed sheet.

He smiled and tucked a stray curl behind my ear. "I promise it'll be more fun than it sounds," he said, his hand lingering on my cheek. Instead of returning it to his side, he put it around me and gave me a small squeeze of reassurance.

Oh Merlin, I was _such_ a goner.

"Really?" I squeaked, resisting the urge to reach up and feel my tingling skin where he brushed against my face.

"Uh huh," he said, shifting so that I could see him better. "I promise you won't end up making an arse of yourself, if that's what your worried about."

I nodded slowly, imagining all sorts of connotations to the words 'personal slave.' I privately wanted to smack past-me for even suggesting it. Of course Scorpius Malfoy would be suave enough to convince me to do even the most ridiculous of things with a smile on my face. He was the veritable _king_ of suaveness.

And I was gullible.

And an infatuated idiot when it came to him.

"But you'll have to clear my day with Victoire first," I told him seriously.

He smiled. "I take that as a yes?"

"Sure," I said uneasily, falling back against his arm.

"Fantastic." He beamed. "And don't worry about your cousin. She gave me permission to do anything I wanted with you for the next two days as soon as I turned up."

"She _what?"_

I saw that Albus wasn't the only one who had a death wish.

Scorpius nodded. "And you'll be happy to know that I told her of our entire schedule and she approved of everything I'm going to do with you."

See, what he didn't realise was that Victoire would totally love to hear that he just planned on shagging me all day in my room. Not that I would mind, of course, but Victoire had very low standards for acceptable activities for Scorpius and Rose to be doing. So his statement just made me even more nervous.

But I didn't say any of this, instead opting for a very neutral, "Oh."

"Right," he said, "Well then, are you ready to go?"

"Go where?" I asked blankly, watching as he disentangled his limbs from mine and hopped lithely off the bed.

"Places," he said vaguely.

I waited for a moment for him to elaborate, but he remained silent. "Seriously, where?" I asked, clambering off the bed and walking to my mirror to inspect my reflection.

"Personal slaves don't ask questions," was all the response I got.

"Of course they don't," I muttered, finger combing my hair into some semblance of control. I knew that if I brushed it, everything would get totally out of hand.

Scorpius moved to stand in the mirror behind me. He eyed me critically for a moment before saying, "After you nap, does your hair always look like a fluffed up Hippogriff?"

I laughed and turned away from the mirror. "Save it, Malfoy. Honestly, I do wonder how much time you have on your hands if you can come up with a new simile for every insult."

"Oi," he exclaimed in a dramatically wounded voice. He took my hand good-naturedly and led me out of the room, saying, "What can I say? They just come to me; it's a gift."

"You'd better return it. Fast."

He ignored that. "And I do not spend any significant length of time deliberating over how to insult you." He actually looked mildly annoyed at the suggestion.

"Of course you don't," I said, condescendingly patting his arm.

He shook his head. "I don't," he insisted.

"Alright," I said, bewildered by his tenacity over the matter. "You don't," I echoed.

"Too right," he said firmly.

"So," I said, looking around as we left the Delacour's and stepped out onto the dim street beyond. "How are we doing this?" I turned to face Scorpius who was busy peering up and down the street, probably for stray Muggles out for the evening.

"Side-Along," he muttered. "With a glamour charm so the muggles don't notice us appearing."

"You know, it'd be much easier if you just _told_ me where we were going. Then I wouldn't have to worry about your less than stellar Apparition skills."

"Hey, I got here in once piece, didn't I?" He raised his eyebrows.

I shrugged. "You Apparated?" I asked.

"With Al, actually," he said.

Ruddy bastard knew Scorpius was coming! And he didn't tell me! Well that settled it. Penguin route it was…

He took one look at my outraged face and smiled. "Don't go too hard on him, Rosie," he said, "I told him not to tell you I was coming."

"What's with all the surprises?" I complained.

Scorpius tilted his head and studied me thoughtfully. "Don't you like them?"

"Well… yes," I said, suddenly insecure in the face of his scrutiny. "In theory," I added, "If not in practice."

"Then it's about time we get you out of the realm of theories and into practice," he said seriously as he began to spin on the spot. "You think too much, Rose."

I held on tightly to our grasped hands, anticipating the unpleasant squeezing sensation of Apparition. Quite suddenly, after all the air was pushed forcefully out of my lungs and my limbs were stretched like taffy through a small tube, I felt my feet settle on solid ground. I leaned against Scorpius, caught unexpected by the chill evening breeze.

"Cold?" he asked, voice amused.

"Very," I muttered, clinging to him even tighter.

"Here," he said, conjuring a coat for me to put on over my thin jumper. He draped it over me, and I shot him a grateful look.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair and smiled. "You'd do better to stop staring at me and turn around."

_But I like looking at you,_ I wanted to whine like the giddy fourteen-year-old girl I sometimes could be inside. Instead, ever the mature witch of eighteen, I listened to his advice and turned around.

I barely registered Scorpius's soft chuckle at my gasp of surprise. I couldn't help it. It was beautiful.

For, far below me, lay the unmistakable city of Paris, spread out in every direction. Lights twinkled in the dusky twilight, and I clung to the guard rail of the Eiffel Tower for support as I leaned forward to get a better view.

I was incredible.

He had brought me to the Eiffel Tower. The prize of Paris. The most romantic spot in the world.

"Like it?" he muttered in my ear, leaning close because of the wind.

I nodded eagerly, turning and wrapping my arms around him in gratitude. "All this for your personal slave?" I asked, grinning.

"Well, you haven't seen what I have planned for you next," he said seriously.

I gulped.

He smiled and led me over to the other side where we could see the Champ de Mars sprawled out straight in front of us. Scorpius moved around me to lean against the railing. We spent a few minutes in silence, admiring the view. The finely cut verdant grasses lay below, so sharply different than the wild English gardens that we had back home. On either side lay the historic greying houses of Paris. Lights twinkled from every corner of the city and the entire Eiffel Tower was lit up in a dramatic orange glow.

_"C'est magnifique, n'est pas?"_ he murmured after a moment.

"I don't know what you just said," I confessed.

_"Très belle," _he continued, turning to face me.

"Aha!" I said triumphantly, pointing an over excited finger at him. "I know what that means. Something beautiful!"

He smiled.

_"And,"_ I said, eager to press my advantage and giddy with the whole situation, "You were looking at me!"

_"C'est vrai, ma chèrie,"_ he said, nodding in approval.

"You know," I said sourly, "I'd like it if I actually understood you when you said something nice about me."

_"Tu ne veux pas l'entendre," _he continued, completely ignoring my lack of French comprehension.

"Are you going to speak French for the rest of the evening?" I demanded, whirling around and placing my hands on my hips.

_"Mais oui!" _he said, grinning.

I knew enough of the language to get the general idea of that one too. "Brilliant," I said flatly. "Do I need to cast a translating charm?" I asked.

_"Non,"_ he sighed, defeated. "Come on, _s'il te plaît,_ let's go see the other view, yeah?"

I smiled and interlocked my arm with his. He led me around the base of the observation deck to the opposite side of the tower. "You can't really see any individual landmarks," he told me, gesturing to the new arrangement of buildings that lay before us. "But the French Ministry of magic is roughly in that general direction." He pointed in their general direction, a slight frown marring his face as he tried to focus in the rapidly darkening air. "Well, and obviously you can see the Seine, _là_." He didn't even bother indicating the glittery greenish river, lit up all along its length with the pinprick of street lamps. _"J'aimerais bien aller ici avec toi encore,"_ he said softly without looking at me.

"It's wonderful, Scorpius," I sighed, drinking in the view. I turned to face him curiosity written all over my face. "When did you learn French? I didn't know you could speak it."

He shrugged. "Grandmother thought it was a pretty language and learned it when she was younger. Whenever she came over she spoke to me in French." He smiled at the memory. "It became our secret language of sorts. When I was older, she conned me into continuing with my Francophone studies by telling me it would help get with girls. Father and grandfather preferred to just cast translating charms, ever keen for the shortcut. Privately I think they've got it right, but grandmother would be devastated if I let on they finally got through to me. Mum knows a few words, mostly curses."

_"Your mother?"_ I asked, surprised that such a refined woman such as Astoria Malfoy would only bother learning a language for it's expletives.

Scorpius broke into a sly smile. "She learned them from me," he said in a low voice.

"You _didn't."_ I laughed. "Corrupting your poor mother!"

Scorpius bristled defensively, "In all fairness, she wouldn't let me say anything remotely fun in English, what other route did I have? She let me get away with the blatant French swearing until I was about fifteen, and then all the _merdes _and _putains_ had to stop."

"What're those then?" I asked interestedly. "For academic reasons only," I added solemnly.

"Shit and fuck, respectively," said Scorpius primly.

"Very nice," I said approvingly. "What else are you hiding up your wand?"

"Depends on what you mean," he said salaciously.

"Ew, not like _that,"_ I hissed, swatting his arm reproachfully and blushing profusely.

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Erm… well… ahh." I bit my lip to keep the poorly formed words - nonsensical sounds, really - back in my mouth. I really didn't think I could get any redder. I was mostly sure I resembled a boiled lobster painted red that was then covered in tomato paste.

Thankfully Scorpius took pity on me. "Relax, Rosie," he said, resting a hand comfortingly on my shoulder. "I'll stop taking the piss. As to your question, no, I don't think I have any more hidden talents. I mean, if you don't count an ability to be incredibly handsome and charming. I mean," he added, lowering his eyes demurely, "they're not that hidden, are they?"

I laughed and shook my head. "You're impossible."

"And amazing."

"And modest. Prat."

"Oi! Personal slaves do not mock."

"Whatever. I've done anything just because you told me to. In fact," I said pointedly, "I'm quite sure I've done my best to do the exact _opposite."_

"Of course you have," Scorpius said darkly, gently pulling me away from the ledge. "Think you've seen enough?" he asked, lifting his eyes to glance at the moon rising slowly in the sky.

I turned my head and took in a deep breath. "Yeah," I said slowly, "I think I have. Plus, we could always come back, yes?" I raised my eyes to meet his hopefully.

He didn't respond, but as we began to turn on the spot, I could have sworn I saw a twinkle in the corner of his eye.

A split second later, we reappeared, but this time nowhere I could recognise. "Where are we?" I asked, my voice echoing slightly around the dark cavern. I could see water running inches from where my feet stood on hard concrete. The river reflected a warm amber light that bounced underneath the archway of what I soon realised was a bridge.

"Just along the Seine, still in Paris," Scorpius said as he gingerly edged out from along the ledge. "I didn't want to Apparate anywhere conspicuous where there would be too many Muggles."

"Hm," I hummed noncommittally, following him into the light of one of the small street lamps lining the Seine. "So we're walking now?" I asked, looking around.

"Brilliant powers of deduction, you have Rose Weasley," Scorpius snorted. "Was it the passing scenery or moving feet that gave it away?"

"Oi, do not be a smartarse with me, Scorpius Malfoy," I countered, hitting him lightly on the arm. "I was trying to figure out where we were going. Must be filled with Muggles if we're walking there."

"We aren't going anywhere," he said, surprised that I had even asked. "I just thought we should take a walk."

"A walk?" I repeated dumbly.

"Yes, Rosie, a walk," Scorpius said, his eyes laughing.

"Okay, then," I said slowly.

"Unless you have any serious objections? Not that they would matter, of course, coming from a personal slave." He smirked.

"No objections," I said immediately. "I was just a little taken aback; that's all."

"Why?" asked Scorpius, looking at me quizzically.

"I dunno," I said, kicking a stray stone with my shoe into the river. "When you took me away from Marseilles, I just thought…" I drifted off, cheeks red.

Scorpius looked at me strangely. "What did you think we would be doing, Rose?" he asked gently.

"Er, nothing," I said quickly, wishing that I hadn't said anything.

"Come on," Scorpius said cajolingly, "I know you, Rose. Of course you must've had some idea."

"I really didn't have any," I said hesitantly.

Scorpius's brows furrowed together as he thought. "And you came with me anyway?" he asked eventually.

"Of course I did," I said, as though it were obvious.

I mean, I was here, wasn't I?

The fanciable idiot wasn't _blind,_ was he?

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I really like spending time with you," slipped out before my brain could register what was happening, "And I didn't really care what we were doing or where we were going." My eyes widened in horror as I finally registered exactly what coming out of my mouth.

And this was why Rose Weasley should never be allowed to speak again.

Ever.

I mean, just look at my track record. Has anything good come out of my mouth in the past 48 hours? No. Nothing. Zip. Nada. In fact, my mouth had gotten me irrevocably screwed over in my ways than I cared to count.

"I'm sorry," I said immediately.

What? No! Shut up, mouth! Change the subject!

"I didn't mean to shove the whole, I-Really-Fancy-You thing at you again," I rambled.

Or… you know, don't.

"It just came out, and I didn't mean to say it… Again. I'm sorry. It's just we're now walking along the Seine, with the Eiffel Tower all lit up and beautiful in the distance, and we're in the damn _City of Love_. And it's got a girl, thinking, you know? I mean, it's just you… and me here… alone. It's quite romantic, and you really shouldn't do something like this to me," I said accusingly. "It's really not fair."

"And why not?" he asked, raising his eyebrows knowingly.

"Because!" I spluttered. "It's just not right! Here I am, fancying you and everything-"

Mental. I must've just gone completely mental. This is a _third_ time I've reminded him of that little fact, one that I swore to myself I would never _ever_ reiterate to him again.

"- and here _you_ are, all perfect and wonderful-"

I barely registered his snort of disbelief.

"- and I don't think I can take it anymore!" I exclaimed. "It's really not fair," I finished quietly, looking up at him ruefully. "You really don't know what your very presence does to me on a normal basis, forget Paris and all the rest."

"I think I have some idea," he whispered.

I shook my head in disagreement, _finally _catching on that opening my mouth to respond _would not_ be a good idea.

"Because I imagine it's quite like the effect you have on me," he finished calmly.

_Excuse me?_

_What was that?_

Startled, I raised my eyes to meet his questioningly, my mouth falling open in surprise.

It was then that Scorpius Malfoy took advantage of the rare silence between us and lowered his mouth down upon mine.


	19. Hope

Almost immediately, I raised my arms to wrap themselves around Scorpius's neck and pushed myself up on the balls of my feet to lessen the distance between our faces. I felt his hands tangle in my hair, cradling my head gently as his lips continued to devour my own. There were no dramatic fireworks like I had experienced during my first kiss with him. Rather, there was this much more pleasurable warmth that started in the pit of my stomach and continued to spread outward to the tips of my fingers and toes until I was positively glowing with the sheer delight of it all. I giggled slightly as he nipped and tugged at my bottom lip, which made him pull back with a smile.

We stared at each other for a moment, neither one of us willing to break the moment first.

Eventually it was Scorpius who reached up to remove my hand from where it was resting on the back of his neck. He kept it held in his as he returned it to his side and gestured to a nearby bench with his free hand. "Why don't we sit for a bit?" he proposed as he led the way.

I nodded, still bursting at the seams with euphoria.

"Rosie," Scorpius sighed simply as we sat facing each other. "I can't believe we haven't done that since New Years."

"Me neither," I said, my voice a tad breathless.

"Too long."

I hummed in agreement before reaching over to cup his face with my left hand and beginning the whole process over again. It was quite enjoyable, sitting there, under a stray Parisian streetlamp snogging Scorpius Malfoy like there was no tomorrow. I had no intention whatsoever of allowing it to stop any time soon. If he was alright with it, I was perfectly content to let us keep going until the sun rose and some French police person came around and arrested us for indecency.

Then again, maybe they didn't do that here.

It was _France_, after all.

His mouth was moving in perfect harmony against mine, and I felt his tongue swiping across my closed lips. I parted them eagerly and we then started on the most _wonderful_ bout of snogging that I have ever known.

And then his mouth abruptly left mine, leaving my slightly swollen lips cool and aching in the evening breeze. But before I could utter a squeak of protest from his absence, I felt his mouth start to nip and suck a tantalising trail down my neck. He eventually settled at the hollow of my throat, and I couldn't help a moan of approval escape my mouth. I felt him grin triumphantly against my skin at my response. As he moved to attend to a particularly sensitive spot below my ear, I unconsciously arched my neck up to give him better access.

Merlin, and I thought the man couldn't _get_ any more fanciable.

Clearly I was wrong.

… I had never been happier about that fact in my life.

(Although I'd never tell _him_ that, as he'd be smug and impossible to live with forever afterward. Git.)

I fisted my hand gently in his hair, holding his head in place as he continued to make my insides squirm with pleasure at his every touch. Merlin's beard, he was going to leave one hell of a love bite when he was done. As his mouth moved back up to cover mine, I felt his hands wander slowly south. They slipped beneath the insides of the coat he conjured for me and skimmed along my every curve to skirt around my waist, settling on my arse. They only rested there a moment before he started to pull me closer to him.

"Here," I breathed, pulling away from him reluctantly, "Let me." Before he could say or do anything, I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck to support myself as I shimmied onto his lap.

It was just as I was placing butterfly kisses along his jaw that I heard it. I felt his chest stiffen imperceptibly before he continued to trace delicate patterns against the tender skin of my lower back.

And then I heard it again.

And again.

I looked down into his eyes, and I felt my face flush automatically at the grin I saw there.

"Come on, Rosie," he said, helping me up before rising from the bench as well. "Let's get some food in you before I have to put a Silencing Charm on your protesting stomach."

"I'm sorry!" I murmured, blushing furiously.

"No," said Scorpius diplomatically, "It's my fault. I should have seen to your dietary needs before whisking you off to have my wicked way with you along the Seine."

And I didn't think it was even possible for me to go even redder.

_Wicked way _indeed.

And then, like I was doused with water, the happiness from our kissing abruptly faded into the background. All my nerves and fears returned in full force. I mean, what was I _doing?_ Following Scorpius Malfoy on his own personal tour around France? I knew exactly what Scorpius Malfoy did on dates with unsuspecting witches. Nothing good could come out of this! I was mad - positively mental - to even _agree_ to come on this… thing with him. Any witch in her right mind couldn't trust Scorpius Malfoy further than she could Banish him! Admittedly, my Banishing spells were pretty phenomenal, but that was entirely beside the point. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.

…In…

…Out…

…In…

WHAT THE EFFING HELL WAS WRONG WITH ME?

Well that concentrated breathing did a shit load of _nothing._

Rubbish.

I needed hot chocolate. _NOW._

But Scorpius noticed none of my insecurities, as he was currently striding purposefully away from me.

"So where are we going now?" I asked, following him up the stone stairs leading away from the riverside.

"Personal slaves don't ask questions," he said without turning around.

I was _really_ beginning to hate that sentence.

"Come on," Scorpius said a moment later, ducking into a deserted alleyway. "We're Apparating again."

I dubiously took his proffered hand and the last thing I saw was his casual smirk before we vanished from sight.

A split second later we reappeared on a grassy lawn. I saw no hint whatsoever of telltale lights from Eiffel Tower, or the city at all. "Are we still in Paris?" I asked, peering around curiously. A quick glance around determined that the only light pollution came from what seemed to be residential houses far in the distance. Constellation upon constellation of starts reigned overhead in the sky and the waxing moon shone brightly above. Before us, the grass quickly gave way to rock. Stones lay piled haphazardly in front of us in a forbidding rock formation, completely blocking the horizon.

"Nope," Scorpius drawled, smirking.

I could barely let out a wonderfully witty, _"Huh?"_ of delicate confusion before Scorpius started down a narrow path between the rocks. I had no choice but to follow.

"So, back to being all mysterious and shit? Cause I've got to tell you - it's less mysterious and more _annoying,"_ I griped as I navigated behind him.

I saw Scorpius's shoulders shake with barely stifled laughter. "Come on Rosie, where's your sense of adventure?" he asked after a moment, grey eyes alight with mischief.

"Back with civilisation?" I grumbled as I slipped over a stray tree root.

"Live a little."

"How about with civilisation?"

"What, am I not civilised?" he asked, an overly dramatised expression of hurt splayed across his features.

"Do you really want me to answer that question?" I asked, eyebrows raised.

"Er, when you put it like that, no," Scorpius said, grimacing.

The conversation fell flat after that, and we spent a couple of minutes in silence. I mostly concentrated on not tripping over my own feet in the dark. Scorpius had lit up the tip of his wand as soon as we had started on the path, but it was faint and I still didn't feel all that secure.

Unlike me, Scorpius looked perfectly at home. He walked with purpose and firm feet slightly ahead of my stumbling steps. He expertly dodged hidden roots and rocks trees which left me cursing and fumbling with my footing. Every time I lost my balance, he would grab my elbow until I was steady and we would continue on. The fifth time this happened, however, he held on tight to me and smiled. "It's not that much further," he assured.

I looked down, unwilling to see the patronising look that would surely be adorning his features. I felt like a first class idiot - I mean, I wasn't as athletic or well-coordinated as he was. Must he rub it in even further? I mumbled something indistinguishable and for the first time thanked the darkness that hid the wild blush that stained my cheeks.

"Chin up, Rosie," he said, catching my chin with his index finger and tilting my face upwards until I stared into his twinkling grey eyes. He was wearing a surprisingly apologetic expression. "We're almost there. I've got you." He accompanied his words with a comforting squeeze to my hand. He quickly turned back to the path and once again took the lead, this time with his hand firmly clasped in mine.

I really loved those warm tingles I felt whenever his skin came in contact with mine.

Still, I was glad that he missed the sad, sappy smile that had momentarily appeared on my face before I could reign it back.

I had _some _dignity, after all. Even after stumbling around in the dark for twenty minutes.

A moment later we rounded a curve and emerged from the rocks. I felt my mouth nearly fall open in shock. Hopping lightly down from the last rock, I looked around in wonder at the small beach alcove we now found ourselves in. Without the stones to muffle the senses, I could now hear the distant crashing of waves upon the shore and breathe in the tangy, salty air.

I stepped forward, careful to avoid letting any sand slip into my shoes, and my eyes immediately caught onto the dinner setup Scoripus had undoubtably prepared for us. "Damn," I swore dazedly as I looked around, "How much thought did you put into this?" I stared around with wide eyes, taking in the multitude of candles that lined a small circle surrounding an ordinary picnic blanket. There was a small basket that rested off to the side, and I guessed that was the origin of a delightful combination of smells that wafted toward my nose. Another set of candles, placed directly in the centre of the blanket, completed the picture.

"Truthfully?" he asked, his free hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck self consciously, "Not much."

I threw him a disbelieving look as he walked around the circle to fetch the basket.

"Really, Rose," Scorpius said, laughing at my blatant distrust, "You of all people must know I'm no good at this whole romantic thing."

Well _obviously._ There was a reason the hopeless git came crying to me every time he had girl problems.

The poor bloke had as much sense as Albus did when faced with an Arithmancy exam.

I sat down on the blanket and studied him thoroughly as he took his seat opposite me and began pulling things from the picnic basket.

"All Al's doing," he said brusquely as he busied himself with the silverware. "I told you he got me here, but he also went the extra mile. Him and Victoire."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course Victoire's involved," I muttered.

"She wouldn't stop giving me advice," said Scorpius, a hint of a smile playing across his face. "I eventually had to remind her that she was getting married in three days and had better things to do than plan a dinner for me."

I shook my head despondently. "I'm sorry for my family's meddling," I apologised embarrassedly.

"What?" he exclaimed, "Why?"

"They're always interfering…" I mumbled.

"It's just who they are," he said casually. "I know dealing with you always means dealing with your family first. It's really not that big of a deal."

"It's such a hassle…"

Scorpius shot me a curious look. "Its really not. I had no idea what I was doing until the pair of them came along. They helped me."

I waited a moment, searching his face for any tells. "If you say so," I said eventually.

An uneasy silence settled between us.

Whereas earlier in the evening my mouth wouldn't shut up, now I couldn't think of anything to say. My mind was just...

Blank.

Blank.

Blank.

Awkward.

Blank.

_Blankity Blank Blank._

_UGH…_

"Good food," I said after a moment of hasty panicking.

Please Merlin, Circe, Godric… hell - _Uncle Harry. _Could someone just Avada me right now? _Could I be any _more_ lame?_

"Isn't it?" Scorpius asked, completely unaware of my frantic mental hysterics. "Victoire recommended a great take away place that caters to this sort of thing." He cut off a piece of his chicken and peered at it experimentally before taking a bite.

We didn't speak for a while after that astonishing nugget of priceless information Scorpius just unleashed upon me.

It was one thing if it was the sort of nice silence that was permeated with a sense of camaraderie. Well, I suppose that pleasant silence was what existed for Scorpius. However, at my end of the blanket, it was that sort of awkward silence that made my skin crawl with discomfort.

I suppose I was cracking at the seams right now at this moment because, when suddenly placed in a candlelit clearing with a food and wine, I couldn't escape how _date-like_ the whole set up was. And yet we - _he_ - never classified whatever the hell we were doing. Admittedly a romantic dinner like this hardly existed between friends - not to mention the mind blowing snogs - so I quickly tossed out the idea that he merely harboured platonic feelings for me.

Then again… I wasn't exactly undesirable, and since he clearly knew I fancied him what with my gigantic mouth and all, he could have just as easily wanted a good time with a mate that just happened to include snogging?

Still, would Scorpius be willing to lead me on and risk our friendship like that?

Fuck.

And blokes called us girls confusing?

I felt a headache coming on.

And still I couldn't shrug off or forget that he'd still never explicitly told me he fancied me back or anything.

Suppose this whole set up was to let me down easy?

I quickly squashed that thought. Letting someone down easy does not comprise of sucking their face off coupled with a secluded picnic in the woods. At least, as far as I knew. And if it it did, then Scorpius was being just plain cruel dangling something like this in front of me after everything we've been through together.

"What's on your mind Rose?" Scorpius asked, startling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh? Hmm, nothing," I said, accompanying my answer with a nervous laugh. "Just nothing."

Scorpius raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Your expression begs to differ. What were you thinking of Rose?"

Busted.

"Er, whether I want more chicken," I lied, offering him a small smile. I felt like my face was cracking in two from the sheer falseness of it all.

I tried _really_ hard to make sure that it didn't turn into a grimace once he was looking the other way.

"There's one more piece left, so its all yours," he said, reaching into the hamper to deposit it on my plate.

"Thanks," I muttered, poking half-heartedly at the chicken leg that now sat front and centre in front of me.

I had never felt less hungry in my life.

I felt his eyes boring into me as I proceeded to eat, but for some reason he refrained from pressing the matter. I couldn't tell if he could feel the awkward vibes that were emanating off me in torrents or if he simply didn't notice my discomfort. Either way, he uncharacteristically remained silent until I set my utensils down with a soft sigh.

"When did this get so hard?"

My eyes widened as I looked up at him in surprise.

He was smiling ruefully, and for a second I worried that he was responding to something I had unwittingly spoken aloud. Then his eyes dimmed at my lack of reaction, and I realised that we had simply been thinking parallel thoughts. I immediately felt waves of relief wash over me. Boldly, I reached for his hand that was resting innocently next to my plate. Scorpius seemed shocked for a moment before the tension visibly drained from him.

"I don't know," I said honestly.

Scorpius shook his head. "Bollocks," he cursed lightly.

"You can say that again," I muttered.

"I mean here we are, out together… and we can't think of a bloody word to say to each other," he said with a small sigh. "Completely ridiculous?"

"Ridiculous," I echoed, my thoughts whirling as I struggled to keep my expression calm and neutral.

What did he mean by _that?_ Did he think this whole thing between us was ridiculous?

More importantly, did _I?_

Truly, I was beginning to question my mental state when I agreed to come out with him tonight. Sure, he wooed me with fancy words like _personal slave_ but I should have resisted. What self respecting witch would agree to something as degrading as _that?_ And then of course I had made a total prat out of myself going on and on about how much I fancied him. No wonder he didn't want to talk to me anymore.

Served me right after going completely barmy on him.

Plus, it wasn't like I'd been having a good time as of late. The whole Eiffel Tower and Seine was a damn dream come true, but ever since the food came out and we had nothing else to distract from the other's company the air had turned stale and the atmosphere tense. I just wanted everything to go back to how it was before all these feelings got in the way.

Maybe we weren't meant for this sort of relationship with each other. I mean, three minutes alone together and we had both clammed up like snargaluff pods.

Was he regretting coming here with me?

Did he want to be here at all?

I just didn't know.

So many questions that I _really_ didn't want the answers to. As torturous as it was not knowing, I couldn't help the niggling voice in my mind suggesting all the worst answers to my fears.

"Rose? Rosie?"

"Huh, what?" I snapped to attention.

"You didn't hear me at all?" he asked, a disapproving tone to his voice.

"Yeah. Yes," I said hurriedly without a clue as to what I agreed to.

_Liar, liar robes on fire!_

So sue me. I could very well say_ 'Oh Scorpius I didn't notice you there because I was busy having a mental breakdown. Would you care to repeat the question to a simpleton like myself?'_

A flicker of disappointment passed through his gaze before he waved his wand and plates and platters soared back into the wicker basket.

Oh _shit._

He must've asked me if I was done.

Stupid, stupid Rose!

Argh! Common sense really wasn't my forte, was it?

I looked down and tentatively prodded the waxy blobs sitting in the middle of the blanket. "The candles are getting pretty low," I commented, moulding my fingerprints into the impressionable wax near the flame.

"Stop that," he chided as he put his wand away and pulled my fingers out of the candle's flame. "You'll get burned."

I smiled up at him. "Watch out, I may think that you actually care."

Scorpius looked mildly offended. "Of course I care," he said quietly before moving to sit next to me as opposed to across. "I still can't believe you think I don't," he continued, staring deeply into my eyes.

_Woah._

He always kept his emotions on such a tight leash, but there were a couple of moments that I could recall where his eyes alone betrayed more than his expressions or words could ever say.

This blew them all away.

In the candlelight his irises had cooled to a dark charcoal grey, and the more he stared the more I saw. Plain as day, I read the want, the desire… But underneath those emotions I sensed there was a slight trepidation to him from the way his eyes couldn't seem to settle on any one point on my face. They kept flickering from one eye to another, to my mouth, my nose. There was this inexplicable restlessness about him, and I was tempted to reach out to make sure he didn't suddenly fly off.

Lust, hesitancy, edginess… I had to think. I _knew_ what all those emotions meant together.

It took a minute, but then it hit me like a big Scorpius-sized anvil. I nearly laughed out loud because it was exactly what I had been feeling around him every day since Christmas. Merlin, I was stupid.

_Nervous._ Scorpius Malfoy, womaniser extraordinaire, was _nervous_… probably because of me. Little old Rose Weasley, his best mate since fourth year, and the one person he could count on to heckle him every day until he returned that library book. I couldn't believe I was making him _nervous._

As I raised my hand to touch his cheek, I just realised his face was _very_ close to mine and abruptly jumped back on reflex.

_Bad Rose!_

I wanted to sit _closer_ to Scorpius!

Right.

Right.

No matter how intimidated and/or scared I was.

I mean, he didn't bite.

I hoped.

"I-I believe now," I squeaked before.

Fine. I was a Gryffindor. Merlin knows Scorpius reminded me of that often enough. I was brave enough to talk to a bloke I fancied, right? I've been doing it for the past four years, after all. I could ask a handful of questions? Scorpius said I did that too often too.

"Do you fancy me?" I blurted out as Scorpius drained his glass of champagne.

He choked and the delicate crystal almost slipped from his grasp. "P-pardon?" he spluttered.

I would have laughed at his expression if I wasn't so nervous. "Do you f-fancy me?" I asked in a smaller voice, a bit of my impulsive bravado fading as I watched him register my question.

He blinked. "Yeah," he drawled, looking at me curiously.

It was a moment for it to register. "Oh," I breathed, a happy little smile pulling at the corners of my mouth. "You do?"

"Sure," he said easily, but the probing intensity behind his silver eyes belied his casual tone.

"Really?"

I still couldn't believe it.

He bit his lip anxiously. "I, Scorpius Malfoy, fancy the pants off you, Rose Weasley," he pronounced seriously.

I beamed.

"Both colloquially and _physically_," he said slyly, his voice dropping on the last word to make his meaning clear.

I scowled. "Prat."

"Prude."

"Git."

"Bigger prude."

"Wanker."

"Even bigger prude."

I gaped incredulously. "That's it? Now I definitely know you spend no time at all thinking about your insults. _Even bigger prude?_ Now that's just pathetic."

He smirked. "Doesn't make it any less true."

"I'll have you know that I've most certainly engaged in distinctly less-than-prudeish behaviour!" I exclaimed, outraged.

He raised an eyebrow. "And is that something I'll ever get to see?" he asked silkily

After my mind recovered from some distinctly Oh that was _it. _Time to even the playing field.

I licked my lips slowly and said breathily, "Only if you're _really_ lucky."

There was the sound of shattering crystal.

Scorpius looked down at the remains of his champagne glass that now littered his plate, a shocked expression manifesting in his wide eyes and open mouth. "Fuck," he swore.

I laughed.

Scorpius didn't turn red, but his high cheekbones took on a slightly pinkish tinge.

_"Reparo,"_ I cast, pointing my wand at the broken pieces as Scorpius simply sat there, looking stunned.

It was a moment before he could speak again. He cleared his throat. "Ahem.. er…" he stammered.

I grinned and leaned closer to him playfully. "Scorpius? What was that? Kneazle got your tongue?"

He took a deep breath, to gather his bearings. Once he had handle on his composure, an expression I _really_ didn't care for settled over his features. It was almost obscenely suggestive. "No," he said slowly, "Not a Kneazle. A naughty little minx who doesn't seem know what every little word from her dirty mouth does to me."

I blushed, and he grinned at his victory. "Now who's speechless, Rosie Posy?"

"Shut up," I said reflexively to the name.

"Oh do regale me with your witty comebacks," he said ceremoniously. "They never cease to amaze me."

"Arse."

"Back to name calling again, Rosie?" he asked lightly.

"Always, Scorpy."

He frowned. "That's just wrong. On _so_ many levels. Especially from you."

I grinned at the memory. "I can't believe she made up that name. I always said Eliza was an idiot."

"I know," he sighed.

"You _knew?"_ I demanded, aghast.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Of course I knew. I only defended her because I knew it would get you all hot and bothered."

"I wasn't hot-" I broke off at his raised eyebrow.

I felt my face heat up instantly at the once over he was giving my face and torso. "You think I'm hot?" I asked in a small voice.

"Please," he scoffed.

I grinned. I saw right through him, the sneaky bastard.

"Now don't you go inflate that ego of yours," warned Scorpius, a smile quirking up the corner of his mouth.

"Talk about the pot calling the cauldron black," I muttered.

Scorpius shook his head. "But see, I can pull off arrogance and hypocrisy because of my stunning good looks. You, on the other hand…" he said sardonically, his lips twisting into a smile.

"Prat," I called almost lazily.

"And yet you _still _fancy me," he mused.

"Baffling, I know," I teased. "You're impossible."

"And fanciable."

"And fanciable," I acquiesced, shrugging.

"At least we can agree on that," he said, nodding his head. He smiled and leaned back so that he was laying flat out on the blanket, staring up at the stars. He motioned me to join him, and I settled down next to him.

"So…" I started, unwilling to leap headfirst into heavy topics, "Will you now tell me where we are?"

He chuckled and groped blindly for my hand. "Back in Marseilles," he said, curling his fingers within mine. "A couple kilometres from the Delacour's place, actually."

"Really?"

"Really."

I waved my wand, and simultaneously all the candles were extinguished, and the stars above us seemed to shine even brighter. "Very pretty," I commented.

Scorpius snorted. "I'm such a ponce," he said a moment later by way of explanation.

That was random.

"Well, I won't refute that," I said as Scorpius threw me a sharp look. "But why this sudden revelation?"

"I was going to say that I didn't notice the view with you beside me, or something equally horrible," he said scowling. "Bloody hell, I might as well be Al," he muttered to himself.

I was touched.

(And more than slightly amused.)

But mostly touched.

"That's sweet," I said encouragingly, squeezing his hand.

"It's sappy and sentimental," he said disdainfully. "Poetically cheesy, if I say so myself."

It was so cute when he pretended to be all manly and unfeeling.

Aggravating… but cute.

"But no less sweet," I countered gently.

He didn't argue; instead, he sent a half smile my way before returning his gaze heavenward. "It's nice," he began slowly, "being here with you, I mean."

I smiled and rubbed my thumb reassuringly over the back of his hand. "I'm glad that you took me here, Scorpius."

"You're welcome," he said simply.

"Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?" I asked in a small voice.

"What about?" Scorpius asked, turning his head to face me. It was a striking picture, the moonlight glinting off his high cheekbones and the planes of the right side of his face while the left fell into darkness. His skin, always pale, glowed faintly in the moonlight.

I sighed and reached up to fiddle with a curl that was falling over my forehead. "Us."

Scorpius let out a low whistle and reached over to still my movements and tuck it behind my ear himself. "Never good to have _the talk_ on the first date. You said so yourself. Ages ago."

"See? This is exactly why we need to have _the talk_ - not like this is _the talk_, per se, but it's a small part of _the talk. _A minuscule part of _the talk_ actually. So not really _the talk_ just some ground rules that might look like _the talk_ and sound like _the talk_ from the beginning but really isn't _the talk_. You know, the proper _talk_ that we'll have sometime in the future. Maybe," I rambled before my brain realised it had been spewing out all kinds of nonsense and put a stop to it. I shut my eyes and bit the inside of my cheeks to keep from talking. "Merlin, did that make _any _sense?" I asked him helplessly.

"A little," he said between chuckles.

I grimaced. "Look, just a couple of questions that I'd like for you to answer honestly. Is that too hard?"

"Nope."

"Good. First off, you said something about 'on the first date.' Does this mean we're dating or is this a onetime only thing?"

"You're completely barmy if you've even entertained for a moment the notion that this is a once only deal," said Scorpius flatly. His eyes suddenly widened. "I mean, if you don't want to, then I won't force you into anything," he said hurriedly.

I smiled. "No, I'd like to do this again," I said in a small voice.

Scorpius exhaled a breath I didn't know he had been holding. "Alright then," he sighed contentedly.

"Next. As much as I adore the idea of dating you and snogging you and… other stuff, I know how you are with girls."

"Rose-" he began, alarmed.

"Quiet, I don't want you jumping to conclusions and putting words in my mouth. Merlin knows we should've learned our lesson by now," I scolded.

He reluctantly fell silent and swallowed those desperate words on the tip of his tongue.

"As I was saying, I know how you are with girls. Now, I don't doubt your sincerity or endless pocket money when dealing with them, but you'd be the first to admit that the lifespan of Scorpius Malfoy's girlfriend hardly ever lasts a month." I swallowed. "I don't want that," I said blandly. "If those dates are to continue, I have to know that you're committed and willing to put up with all of my shit for a good deal longer than that."

Scorpius threw me a look. "This sounds awfully like _the talk,"_ he criticised.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. If you're not promising me anything, I'm leaving." I started to sit up, but Scorpius reached out with an iron grip and held on fast to my upper arm.

"Rosie, relax," he soothed. "I'll promise anything you want me to. Within, reason," he amended.

I scowled as I lay back down next to him. "You're a git, Malfoy," I said after a moment, slapping him lightly on the wrist.

"It's just too much fun taking the mick," he teased.

"Still a git, no matter what you're reasoning or justification is," I said liltingly, grinning widely.

"And yet you're still here. With me," he drawled.

"And I wonder about my sanity every moment," I grumbled.

"Aw, come on Weasley, you know you love being here with me."

I turned on my side to fully face him. "Say I do. What does that mean to you?"

"That I'm a fantastically lucky bloke," he said without a tinge of sarcasm.

How _sweet_ was that?

I waited a moment for the knut to drop.

When nothing happened I gaped at him. "You mean it?" I breathed.

He barely finished nodding sheepishly his head before I attacked him.

No joke.

"Oomph!" he exhaled as I straddled his waist with my legs and met his mouth in a searing kiss.

"You-" kiss "are-" kiss "wonderful!"

Kiss. Kiss. _Kiss._

Yum.

After getting over the shock of a teenaged girl throwing himself at him and proceeding to maul him to death, Scorpius returned my affection with equal ardour. His hands eagerly pushed off my coat and roamed up and down my arms.

I couldn't tell if the gooseflesh that appeared was from his touch or the cool air.

I pushed my chest against his and began kissing a path down his throat. His hands moved under my blouse to ghost against my bare stomach, and I sucked in an involuntary breath. My eyes darted towards his, and I read the flicker of shock before I was pushed gently away.

"What?" I asked, a little hurt.

He smiled. "Nothing. There was just something poking me in the chest, Rosie."

"Oh," I sighed, reaching down my top to pull out the necklace that I always wore. "This?" I asked sceptically. "It's tiny."

His eyes widened as he took in the offensive pice of jewellery. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked in a strangled voice after a moment, reaching out a tentative hand to cup the emerald pendant.

"What?"

_"It is,"_ he breathed, watching it sparkle as the delicate chain unwound. "I thought you lost it or something," he murmured.

I laughed. "It's hard to lose something you never take off," I replied easily.

He looked up sharply. "You've never taken it off?" he asked softly, his firm grip on the chain revealing his desperation for answers .

I suddenly realised the implications and blushed a brilliant red. "Er, no?" I delicately removed his hand from my necklace and let it hang loose above my shirt.

"Even when we… well… never?"

I raked a hand through my hair nervously. "I mean, I took it off to elongate the chain and stuff, but other than that no," I said embarrassedly. I bent down to kiss him again, but he stopped me with a gentle hand.

"I have some questions of my own," he whispered.

I slid off him, disgruntled. "Fire away then," I said, already missing the feeling of his lips upon mine.

"Why was it tucked away under your shirt?" he demanded.

I ducked my head down, self-consciously. "I dunno."

"I thought you stopped wearing it after that fight in January," he told me.

I sighed. "Still wearing it," I said, dangling the pendant in front of him.

"Obviously."

I shook my hair out of my face, frustrated. "Look, I knew that you didn't like it when old girlfriends wore things you gave them after you two separated. I knew it would make you angry, so I hid it. Happy?" I sat up and slouched away from him. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Sure it is," he said, rising to a sitting position. He shuffled closer to me so that his chest pressed against my back. Next, he wrapped his arms around my waist and placed a tender kiss against the top of my head. "I took it as a sign that you didn't want anything to with me. No talking, no wearing of my gifts…"

I leaned against him, and his fingers absentmindedly picked up a stray auburn curl to twirl around his fingers.

"Was almost enough to make a bloke lose hope," he finished in my ear.

"Oh," I murmured.

_Hope._

Hope.

Wait… what?

"What kind of hope?" I asked in a would-be casual voice. "Like, hope to be friends again or… some other kind of hope?"

"Definitely the _other kind,"_ he said, nuzzling my neck distractingly.

"But that was _January,"_ I hissed.

He seemed unfazed by my significantly less than calm attitude.

"So?"

"You've fancied me since January?" I demanded.

"Oh, you don't know the half of it, Rosie," said Scorpius, still twisting my hair in an endless spiral around his index finger.

* * *

___A/N: So as you can probably guess, there's another chapter! The first date turned into this walloping 6,000+ word monster so I had to end it here for fear that you would all get tired/bored/die before it finished._


	20. Fascination

"Okay then," I said, folding my arms across my chest and turning my head slightly to glare at him, "What's the other half I don't know about, Scorpius?"

He hesitated and then dropped the lock of my hair. "The fancying didn't start in January," he said quietly.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Oh yeah? When did it start, then?"

He mumbled something indistinguishable.

"What was that?" I asked loudly.

"I said," he said through gritted teeth, "A year ago. Or three, but who's counting?"

"Well clearly not you," I retorted, glaring as I swatted him chidingly on the arm.

He flinched away from my palm. "Merlin, Rose, why are you getting upset?" he asked grumpily, refusing to meet my eyes.

"Because I could have been dating you _years_ ago, you great prat!" I said, hitting him again, this time around his head.

"Oi! Watch the hair, woman!" he yelped. "And what do you mean 'years'?" he inquired, eyes flashing dangerously.

"I mean that, had you talked me round, we could have been going on this date years ago, fifth year at least!" I cried.

Scorpius's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

I expelled a noisy breath in annoyance. "Really, you daft git."

A smile quirked up a corner of his mouth. "Better late than never, eh? And stop calling me names."

"Only if you stop being such an abysmally obtuse arse. Fourth year, Malfoy?" I flopped back so I was leaning against his chest again.

"That's when it started," he said, and I felt him shrug behind me.

"I don't believe you," I said firmly, my mind buzzing with this new information.

"Big surprise," Scorpius muttered. "Why not, Rosie?" he asked, rolling his eyes as if praying for patience.

"Because you've dated _dozens _of girls since then! And now I'm supposed to believe that you've really fancied me all along?" I demanded.

"Yes," said Scorpius calmly, rolling his eyes. "It's not like they were anything but placeholders."

That took a while to process.

_"Oh Merlin,"_ I murmured faintly.

"What?" Scorpius asked, concerned. "You're not, er, intimidated or anything, right?

"She was right," I mumbled. "She was right all along."

"Who?" he asked, confused.

"Victoire," I sighed. "She's been telling me this for years now."

Scorpius smirked. "Smart lady. Wondered why she always had a soft spot for me."

"Yeah, well… why do you think you suddenly had a prearranged table seating and room for the night in a place that's been booked for months?" I grumbled sourly. "Vic was going to drag you to France by the shirttails if it was the last thing she did before she walked down the aisle. Unbelievable." I threw my hands up in the air.

"So you didn't believe Victoire at all?" Scorpius asked.

"Nope."

"And you didn't believe Al?" he continued.

"I didn't believe _who?"_ I asked, my eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Al. Albus Potter? Idiotic prat who once pranced around the Hog's Head shouting, _I'm King of the Bar and I want more penguins!_ the first time he got plastered at fifteen? Surely you've heard of him."

"I know who he is," I said darkly. "Are you telling me that he _knew_ you fancied me?"

Scorpius threw me a look that plainly said 'you sure are daft.'

"He never told me," I said distractedly.

"Really? I made him promise he wouldn't say anything, but I thought he would have thought he blabbed to you first thing," Scorpius said dubiously.

"Kept his lips shut tight about the whole affaire."

"Good for him," Scorpius congratulated. "I didn't think he had it in him."

I rolled my eyes. "I know we joke about it all the time, but Al's really a good mate. He wouldn't go against is word for anything." I grimaced. "He didn't tell you I fancied you, did he?"

Scorpius fell back with a soft _thump_ onto the blanket covered sand. "The sodding wanker _knew_ you fancied me?" he groaned, staring unseeing up at the sky.

I crawled over to his side and nudged him on the shoulder, laughing. "Of course he knew. You know, he may not be the most academically gifted wizard out there, but he's far more observant than we give him credit for."

Scorpius scowled. "Still doesn't give him the right to keep vital information like that from me."

I leaned over and ran a hand through his smooth, straight hair and silently marvelled at its texture. "Its not fair for you to be angry with him about that," I said evenly. "I mean, he didn't tell me _you_ fancied me, did he?"

"You tell me," he returned sullenly.

"He didn't," I said firmly. "I had to figure that all out on my own about ten minutes ago. I'm sure you remember. You were there," I added helpfully.

Scorpius shook his head adamantly. "That's different."

"Sure it is," I said, amused.

He shook his head again, but didn't comment.

"Do-do you love me?" I asked in a quiet voice.

I almost didn't say it.

After taking one look at his stunned, slightly guarded expression, I most definitely wished I hadn't let that little question slip out.

My gaze withdrew from his face to stare up at the sky. "You don't have to-" I began, my fingers subconsciously reaching up to plait my hair nervously. "-I mean, don't feel obliged to say anything. Forget I said anything. Look, it's not important-"

He threw me an incredulous look.

"I mean," I backtracked immediately, "I don't want you to say something you don't mean. It just slipped out. I just don't want you to say something you don't feel – not that you don't feel anything because I know you're not unfeeling. It's complicated. I don't want you to feel pressured or anything. It's the first date, after all," I tittered, "And I told you years ago not to mention the L word on the first date. Not that it was ever an issue because you don't say things like that-" I stopped rambling midsentence and took a deep breath.

I closed my eyes and wished with all my might to suck all those little words back in.

Mortified. I was positively _mortified._

Face burning, I turned all my energies to my rapidly growing plait.

I jerked my head up at the sound of a small chuckle next to me.

Reluctantly, I met Scorpius's laughing eyes.

"You're ridiculous," he pronounced slowly, grinning widely.

My face became even redder. I scowled. "Shove it, Malfoy," I snapped.

"Come here," he said, unable to keep his face straight as he released a rather unmanly giggle.

It made me feel slightly better.

He raised himself up into a sitting position and pulled me towards him. I wrinkled my nose in distrust as he tucked his chin on top of my head and rubbed my back in soothing circles. With my cheek pressed against his chest, I could clearly hear his calming and steady heartbeat.

"I'm not going to answer that question, Rosie," he said clearly.

"Oh."

It felt like heavy weight struck my heart, and my chest deflated as the air whooshed out in a jarring sigh.

I mean, I knew he never told any girl he loved her. It was just the way he was, and I _knew that._ I did.

Truly.

Didn't mean it didn't hurt just a little bit.

"I need _some_ leverage for a second date," he continued, pulling back to smile at me. "There are no rules about discussing the L word on the second date, are there Rose?"

I was struck dumb for a moment.

_Rules?_ What rules?

Fuck the rules!

I gaped at him.

Oh _Merin._ He turned me into a verifiable _deviant._ The evil, conniving Slytherin in him corrupted me!

Rules were good. They kept order. Rules dictated right and wrong…

The damn rules were keeping Scorpius from professing his love to me right here and now and having is wicked way with me right on this beach.

Who needed rules?

_Certainly not Rose Weasley!_

Headmistress McGonagall would be so disappointed…

"N-no," I squeaked, eyes wide.

"Good," he said, satisfied.

My lips curved in a hesitant smile and I moved so that I was seated at his side and could rest my head on his shoulder. From my new vantage point, I could see the moonlight glittering off the waves that were lapping gently against the shore and the clear expanse of sky overhead. One of his hands was wrapped possessively around my waist, and I could feel the warmth seep through to my skin through my thin shirt. His face was trained forward as mine was, but eyes flicked back every so often to glance at me, as if he was still having a hard time believing I was really there.

I didn't tell him that he had it all arse-backwards.

"This is nice," I murmured, nuzzling my head into his neck.

"Mhh," he murmured in assent, inhaling deeply. "Very nice."

I snuggled closer, and we lay there in that tender embrace for a long time until most of the candles had gutted out and the moon rose high in the sky.

But, like all good things, the night had to end at one point.

Legs stiff and that same silly smile on my face that I had on when Scorpius first told me of the whole fancying thing, I hesitantly poked Scorpius in the chest as I straightened myself and sat up about forty minutes later.

"Come on, Malfoy," I sighed, stretching my arms high above my head to get the blood circulating, "It's getting pretty late, and I feel like I'll fall asleep right here if we don't move soon."

"But it's comfortable," he wined, remaining where he lay.

I noticed with a mixture of satisfaction and mortification that he kept his eyes trained on my chest as I stretched.

I got up and offered him my hand.

"Aren't I supposed to do that?" he grumbled, taking it anyway to haul himself up.

"Only considerate gentlemen do that, Scorpius," I said primly, raising my arms once again. "And since you're neither, it only serves that you wouldn't think of it in time." I finished stretching and gave him a stern look. "Face up here, genius."

"Free country, Weasley. I can look wherever I want," he drawled.

I rolled my eyes. "Family connections, Malfoy. I can order a sexual harassment charge whenever I want," I countered.

He snorted but averted his eyes as he took out his wand. He waved it once, observing keenly as the silverware and plates flew back into the hamper and the picnic blanket folded itself neatly in mid-air. He then flicked his wand to Banish the whole thing and turned to face me.

"All ready?" I asked, slipping into my conjured jacket.

He nodded and we Apparated back to the Delacour's.

We reappeared right outside the doorstep.

"Looks like everybody's asleep," I said in a quiet voice.

Scorpius's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he heard footsteps approaching. "Not everyone," he said, his voice resigned.

"You two are back awfully late," a sly voice said as the door opened next to us.

"Shut up, Al," he growled without sparing a glance for the recent arrival.

Al merely raised his eyebrows.

"He was just going to say goodnight to me," I hissed, glaring at him. "You couldn't wait another _five_ minutes?"

Al shrugged. "I'm curious."

"You're dead, is what you are," I muttered.

"Now, Rosie, that's not very nice," he said reproachfully.

Scorpius sighed. "Where's April, Al? Doesn't she need someone to fill the long night? Some annoying prat who should be with his girlfriend and not busy doing a crap job of spying on his best friend and cousin?"

"If I was spying, Scorpius, you wouldn't know it, would you?" Al said in a patronizing voice.

"_Go away, Albus,"_ I cut in before Scorpius could utter another retort.

"Fine." From the corner of my eye I saw Al throw up his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender as he rolled his eyes. "But hurry up, Scorpius. I want full details when you're done molesting my cousin."

"You seem awfully okay with this," I said, glaring at the messy raven-haired Potter that was quickly wearing down my last nerve. I mentally tried to tell him to go the fuck away.

Needless to say, it didn't work. The heat of my glare clearly could not penetrate Al's bubble of smugness that he had wrapped around him like a shield.

"I've had three years to get used to it, Rosie. Now go ahead and snog the nice man so he can go tell me what you two did all evening," ordered Al patiently as he crossed his arms over his chest imposingly.

"Go the fuck away, Albus," Scorpius growled, his tone booking no argument.

"Fine," he said exasperatedly, "But I'll be waiting, Scorpius!"

I waited until his angry footsteps had subsided before observing wickedly, "You know, that would sound anything but platonic coming from someone else."

Scorpius rolled his eyes as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. "He just wants the gratification that all his planning and brainstorming with Victoire actually pulled off a successful date."

"Of course you'd say that," I said, grinning.

Scorpius merely grimaced and pulled out his wand.

"Oi! What are you doing? I'm sorry for insinuating anything about you and Albus," I apologised warily, jumping back as he held on even tighter to me.

He ignored my words. "Wait a sec," he instructed as his hand moved under my collar to finger the chain connecting the necklace he gave me. He murmured what I instantly recognised as a shrinking charm. I watched his movements, going nearly cross-eyed in the process, as the pendant moved to a spot just under my nose.

"There," he said, satisfied as he let it drop so that it hung off my throat at its original length it hadn't been since January.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked, tilting my head to the side as I studied him.

"Wanted everyone to know you're wearing my gift," said Scorpius in a business-like tone.

"Oh."

"Just if any smooth talking Frenchmen tries to steal you away from me," he continued darkly.

I snorted disbelievingly. "As if that would ever happen."

Scorpius grimaced. "Just wear it, please?"

"Jealous?" I asked teasingly.

His silver eyes flashed. "No," he said evenly.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe so that my face was centimetres from his. "I think you _are,"_ I said gleefully in a singsong voice.

"I'm not," he said stubbornly, raising his chin defiantly. "I'm just taking precautions. I'm not _jealous_, Rose."

I smirked. "It's okay Scorpius, green's a good colour on you anyway."

He scowled.

"Better on you than me," I continued, brushing his hair back from his face. "It clashes with my hair, after all."

"Doesn't everything?" he drawled, raising an eyebrow.

"Shut up," I retorted half-heartedly.

Scorpius shrugged as one of his hands wandered upward to curl in my hair.

"You know," I said, reaching to grab hold of his elbow, "Despite being primarily the sole object of your ridicule, you have a strange fascination with my hair," I pointed out.

His eyes widened momentarily, and he blinked. "I find it… fascinating," he puzzled out slowly after a moment.

"Really?"

"Hmm," he murmured noncommittally as he started to with draw his hand from where it was ghosting along my scalp and threading through my curls.

"No," I started, leaning into his hand. "It feels nice," I said quietly.

A soft smile appeared briefly over his features.

The moment was broken when I heard something smash behind the door and what was undoubtedly Albus's muttered curse.

"We can't stay here," I said, straightening my jacket and shuffling the pendant back underneath my clothes.

"No," Scorpius interjected swiftly, bringing the necklace out so it rested outside my blouse, "Keep it out."

I smiled and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. "Sure."

The corner of his mouth lifted up into a half smile at my reassurance, and he touched his lips lightly to mine and pulled away. It was all over way too fast. I felt my lips turn down in a slight frown as I was left wanting more.

And by his blatant smirk I caught as he straightened up, the damn bastard knew exactly what he was doing.

Curse him!

And without a further thought, he left me on the doorstep as he stormed into the house, calling, "Oi, Albus, you can come down from eavesdropping on the stairs!"

"Brilliant," Al called happily as he bounded down from where he had been lurking. "Let's go to the kitchen, I'm feeling pretty hungry. You save any of that chicken Victoire and I packed for you two?"

"Maybe, I don't know," I heard Scorpius sigh as the two of them passed me to grant Al his midnight snack.

"See you two tomorrow!" I called, shaking my head as I watched them walk away.

"G'night Rosie!" Al called over his shoulder.

"Night, Weasley," Scorpius said, turning to smile at me before rounding the corner.

Chuckling to myself, I ascended the stairs Al had just vacated and turned into my room.

Thankfully, it was blissfully empty so all I had to do was climb into bed. As I laid in bed, my mind kept replaying the best parts of the date.

I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

* * *

_A/N: Originally this was supposed to be the last chapter, but then I realised it had been more than a month since I updated. Therefore, I broke it off here and will keep writing until the story formally ends. So here you go, a shorter chapter but updated at least two weeks early? Hopefully the better choice? Anyway, I'm considering moulding this chapter with the next one if it doesn't work as a stand-alone._

_Please vote in my poll!_


	21. Compliments

_A/N: So here comes Chapter 21 2.0! I like this version much better - less arguing, more snogging, which I think everyone should like. I saw character regression rather than character progression in the first version of this chapter, so I decided to rewrite it. Hope you like this one equally or more than the last!_

_The beginning is the same, but a lot of it has been changed so please read though at least to the middle!_

* * *

I awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and happy. I took a moment for me to realise why I was wearing a goofy smile on my face, and then all the memories started pouring in.

I quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a top and tried unsuccessfully to comb my hair into some semblance of order.

When I was all done getting myself ready for the day, I left my room, humming quietly to myself. I passed various family members in all states of morning grumpiness and cheerily waved them a good morning to which I got all sorts of responses.

The most mundane being a reluctant, "'Lo Rose."

And the most offensive being the middle finger coming unsurprisingly from James as he shuffled back into his room with a cup of coffee.

"Rosie! How was last night?" I heard a shrill voice screech behind me just as I began to pour myself a glass of orange juice from a breakfast buffet arranged on the kitchen table. Apparently we were all supposed to come in at our leisure at whatever time we wanted. I got the sense that most people hadn't awoken yet, as the plate of bacon was relatively intact and the jug of orange juice mostly full.

"It was great," I gasped as I found myself in the centre of a very enthused hug from Victoire. I hurriedly replaced the jug on the table before I dropped it.

"That's so nice to hear," she gushed, pulling away to examine me critically. "Did he take you to la Tour Eiffel?"

"The Eiffel Tower? Oh yeah," I said.

"And that secluded beach I recommended?"

"That too," I told her.

She grinned, a mischievous glint appearing in her sky blue eyes. "And I take it I can add Scorpius as your plus one?"

"But I didn't check plus one," I argued, remembering the wedding invitation that had come by owl post months prior.

"_I_ did," she said flippantly. "So, it's fine if Scorpius sits next to you for all of the wedding proceedings?"

"Would my answer change anything at all?"

"Not really," mused Victoire.

"Then no, I wouldn't mind."

"You're a peach, Rose."

I smiled. "Anything for you, Victoire."

She grinned. "So what are your plans for today?"

"I don't have any," I confessed. "Unless you count that voluntary late lunch Aunt Fleur has planned."

Victoire grimaced. "Don't go. All of her old work friends are going to be there and all of them are drier than burnt toast."

I smiled and toasted her with my glass. "I'll keep that in mind."

"So where's Scorpius this morning? Not still in your room, I take it?"

"_My_ room?" I nearly shrieked, choking on my juice. "Why in Merlin's name would he be in _my_ room Victoire?"

"I don't know," she said innocently, grabbing a piece of fruit to mask her gleeful expression. "Late night… romantic dinner…"

"Both of which do not lead to men sleeping my room!" I hissed. _"Merlin,_ Victoire."

"Fine, fine," Victoire said, popping the raspberry in her mouth and holding up her empty hands as a sign of surrender. "Don't tell me, Rosie."

"That's because there's nothing to tell!" I nearly wailed.

She laughed. "I'll stop teasing you, Rosie, although it is really too fun. Ta for now," she said before sauntering off, giggling to herself.

I hated her.

It was official.

How in Merlin's name Teddy ever withstood her meddling… That man must be a saint.

"Rose?"

At the sound of my name I turned to behold Louis, yawning and blinking slowly at me.

"Hey Louis," I greeted.

"Morning," he said, reaching for a banana. "How was your night?"

"Good," I replied.

"You came in awfully late," he said, narrowing his eyes.

I crossed my arms over my chest defensively. "How did you know?"

His eyes widened. _"_So you admit you_ did!"_ he cried, waving the banana madly at me. "Al told me, but I didn't believe him!"

I swatted the banana impatiently out of my face. "Honestly, why is it any of your business?"

"I'm your cousin. You're big manly cousin. I should be defending your honour against fiends like Malfoy!" he said.

"Oh Merlin, just _grow up_," I exclaimed exasperatedly. "You don't need to defend me against anything. And Scorpius is certainly not a fiend!" I said, finally swiping the banana out of Louis's grasp and throwing back in the general direction of the table.

"Hey!"

"You've just had your banana privileges revoked for unwarranted gesticulation with foodstuffs!"

"_Ri-ight."_

"How's your sister holding up?" I asked to change the subject.

Louis shrugged. "You know her, always has to be on top of everything."

I nodded. "I saw her earlier, and her most pressing concern was where Scorpius took me last night."

"Yeah," he said, shrugging. "She's not worried about the wedding at all. I think it'll all go fine, what with Victoire running the show. That's assuming Teddy doesn't do something stupid to his hair before the ceremony – that'll drive mum _nuts,"_ he added. "Mum's the only wildcard in the plans."

I grinned. "What, Aunt Fleur has something against blue?"

"If it clashes with the flower arrangements she does," Louis retorted. "Anyway," he said, dumping his dishes on the counter, "I've got to run, I promised Hugo a game of Quidditch in the backyard in fifteen minutes."

"Hugo's conscious at this hour?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

Louis shrugged. "The ceremony's going to take up all of tomorrow so he figures he needs to cram in some extra practice now to make up."

"Well, alright then," I said, waving him off.

After my chat with Louis ended I made my way slowly back to my room. I passed a few more bleary-eyed redheads and good mornings were tossed around.

"Rosie!" I heard someone shout behind me.

I turned, grinning to see Scorpius jogging to me.

"The bedhead frizz becomes you; it really does," he said sardonically once he was within earshot. "Forget what everyone else has been saying. It doesn't look like you got hexed by several Shocking Jinxes at once."

"Arse," I declared, turning on my heel and stalking off in the other direction.

Laughing, he caught up with me within moments. I felt his hand entwine in mine as he turned me around and pulled me to him. "Take that back," he whispered, his breath warming my face due to his close proximity.

"Make me," I breathed.

True, it was a terribly clichéd line, but at least I said _something._ It wouldn't be all fine and dandy if I just stood there, basking in his inexplicable attraction and my good fortune while he wondered what the hell was wrong with me. It wasn't like I haven't done that enough for the both of us, after all.

I mentally congratulated myself. It wasn't every day that I was _this_ smooth.

Okay, self-indulgent mental celebratory rant aside, it was a moment before I realised that Scorpius wasn't doing anything.

We were just standing there in the hallway in that same embrace.

Actually, it looked a little bit like he was basking in _my_ attraction and _his_ good fortune by the way his eyes were caressing my face and gradually pulling me closer so I was flush against him.

Which was ridiculous.

Obviously.

Impatient for more snogging, I decided _to hell with it._ I was a busy girl; I had people to do, things to see. If he wasn't going to snog me any time soon, then I surely wasn't going to be wasting my time staring dreamily into his eyes.

…Er, anymore.

Of course.

Humph.

I raised my arms up to snake around them around his neck. With a deep breath, I simultaneously tilted my mouth up and gently pressed his head down to meet mine. I saw the barest flash of a grin before his lips descended upon my mouth.

And then all thoughts were wiped from my mind.

Well, all _coherent_ thoughts, at any rate.

I had plenty of thoughts that didn't make an iota of sense.

All I could register was the feel of his mouth on mine, the way our lips moulded together and the heat of his hands as they gently made their way down my torso and skimmed along my hips. He sucked lightly on my bottom lip before directing me blindly along the hallway so that my back was pressed up against the wall after a few paces, all the while our lips never breaking contact. One of his hands left my arse to steady himself; his palm came to rest flat against the wall near my left ear. His lips moved sensuously against mine, and I felt the familiar tingle of pleasure shoot up from the pit of my stomach. I moaned slightly, and he pulled back momentarily to smirk before his hand slipped underneath my shirt to lie skin against skin at the small of my back. I grinned slightly against his mouth as I remembered this same hand position from months before. His fingers ghosted against my skin, and I trembled against his touch. I drew back as my eyes flew open to stare into his grey irises, filled with amusement as he took in my reaction. I caught the beginnings of a satisfied smirk, and I pushed my slightly swollen lips against his once more – if to just wipe that stupid expression off his face.

"Oi! _Get a room!"_

Honestly, that boy had the worst timing _ever._

"Fuck off, Al," Scorpius exclaimed, turning to glare at the current bane of my existence.

"Get a room," Al repeated, grimacing in disgust. "I don't want to see this right before I have to eat breakfast."

"Then run along, and you won't have to see anything," I pointed out, peering at Al over Scorpius's shoulder.

"Damage is already done, coz," he replied drily.

"Well then, what was the bloody point of interrupting us?" I demanded.

He shrugged.

"Go away, Potter."

Al grinned at Scorpius. "See? Didn't I tell you she fancied you?"

Scorpius let out a long-suffering sigh. "Yes, you were right and I was wrong. Now _shove off,"_ he growled.

Al shook his head, his emerald eyes mischievous. "Now was that too hard?"

"Go away," Scorpius repeated.

"Fine," Al said finally, "But if you're going to go any further, you might want to get a room. You never know who might be wandering the halls this morning. They might not be as, er, friendly as me."

I snorted disbelievingly.

Al let out a loud cough that sounded _suspiciously _like 'Uncle Ron.'

"Point taken," Scorpius said sourly. "Now go _away."_

"Fine, fine," Al said, waving us off. "I'm going. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

He left.

"Is that honestly supposed to be our rule of wand?" I asked dubiously, turning to Scorpius.

He shrugged. "That's for him to decide and us to ignore." He smirked and gave my appearance a once over.

More like he was mentally undressing me with his eyes.

I immediately became self-conscious under his lust-filled gaze. I felt the beginnings of a blush emerge, and I swiped my hand through my hair nervously, making my curls even more haphazard than they usually were. Of course he looked perfect as ever, even in his casual shirt and trousers, and I couldn't help comparing my dishevelled appearance to his pristine one. No wonder the insults had never stopped. Obviously because they still applied.

Scorpius grinned. "Your hair's all mussed. Like you just got shagged."

Merlin, he didn't even bother trying to make his innuendo subvert anymore. I felt my hand rise to hurriedly smooth down my wild curs. My eyes refused to meet his, and I shuffled nervously from foot to foot as I tried desperately to think of what exactly to do.

"Rose?" he asked after a beat, his confident expression falling slightly.

"I… er…" I said, eyes darting everywhere but him. "I, er, have to go," I stumbled out. "You know, fix my hair, and things," I invented wildly, my thoughts entirely jumbled and an entirely unpleasant sensation coursing through my system. I quickly, if clumsily, bypassed Scorpius and hurried down the hall.

It took him a moment to respond, but respond he did.

Angrily.

"Rose, oh bloody hell, Rose, wait!"

Of course I had no inclination of doing that in the slightest.

He caught up with me, though, as he usually did.

Once he was satisfied he had my attention once more, he shook his head and sighed. "What is it now, Rose? Why are you running away?" His sharp grey eyes bore into mine, but I blinked and looked away.

"Because, I need to fix my hair," I repeated lamely, staring intently at the swaying yellow curtains covering an open window behind Scorpius's right ear.

"It looks like it always does," he said impatiently. "Fess up, Rose. What's got you all hot and bothered?"

I sucked in a breath. "I dunno," I said in a rush.

"I don't believe you," he accused. "Everything was going fine." He paused, his eyes searching. "Right?" he faltered, his face dimming slightly. "Right?"

I shrugged my shoulders and looked down. "I just… never mind. I need time to think," and before he could protest, I hurried on, "Without you. I can't think when I'm around you."

"Is that right?" he drawled, backing up a step so that he could lean with his back against the wall.

"It is," I said stoically, before turning to march down the hallway away from him for a second time.

Almost instantaneously his hand shot out to wrap, vice-like, around my wrist.

I blamed his Quidditch reflexes.

"Hold on just one second, Weasley," he said, retaining his firm grip to ensure I didn't run off again. "Just try to concentrate then, yeah?" he asked, a smirk hidden behind his serious expression. "I'll try to be as not distracting as possible, even. Just tell me what's _wrong,_ Rose. I can't help fix anything if I don't know what's broken in the first place," he finished quietly.

"I… it's just…" I stuttered, completely lost.

"Take your time, Weasley," he said calmly, "I'm in no hurry."

"But I can't!" I exclaimed, exasperated. "Because I have no idea what is going on! I'm sick of all the mixed signals – last night you failed to tell me we were on a date until just about ever. Instead, you lured me away under all that personal slave nonsense which was more than a little bizarre. Then, you surprise me with the news that you not only fancy me, but that you have been doing it for _years _and kept me entirely in the dark. We snuggled and snogged on that romantic beach in the moonlight for hours, but come this morning you're all 'Rose you have stupid hair.' Then we were snogging like mad, which was beyond excellent, but then you gave me this look like you wanted to tear my clothes off right then and there! Scorpius, you _just don't make any sense._" I took a couple of deep breaths as I finished my rather long list of Scorpius's misdemeanours.

He looked rather stumped for a moment; the smirk fell and the serious expression settled in rather ominously in the lines of his frown and the resigned light in his eyes. Finally, he grimaced and said, "Look, Rose, I admit I haven't been the best example of sensibility, but you have to believe I _do_ care about you. Al's been telling me things," he said in a quieter voice.

"Oh yeah?" I asked, my face heating up in embarrassment as I realised his implication.

_Damn you Al._

"And I can't help but think that you have some glorified version of me envisioned in your mind," he continued, sighing and shaking his head. "I'm not perfect, far from it – actually when it comes to you. Fancying you has been the most frustrating, wonderful thing I've ever experienced… usually in equal amounts. Most of the time you were completely oblivious to my intentions, so forgive me if I was a little thrown when you suddenly said you fancied me."

"But you always seemed so… so… collected," I argued. "_Thrown?"_ I quoted, my eyebrows drawing together in confusion.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course I was thrown. I'm only _human_, after all," he said. "Appearances are crucial, Rose. I've known that for years. Even if I could, to a reasonable degree, control my outward appearance, I was still a complete wreck inside last night. Nervous, anxious or any synonym therefore definitely applied. Still does, in fact," he added in a low voice.

Oh.

_Wow._

"So forgive me, Rose, I've been acting a little strange lately," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I don't know how to respond to you sometimes, and my gut instinct is not usually the right one." He scowled. "Plus, you yourself haven't been the most open with me, anyway," Scorpius said, the slightest note of accusation in his voice.

"_Me?"_ I squeaked.

"Yeah," he scoffed. "For instance, our first kiss: you were all over me, and then poof, vanished into the night-"

"Oi! That was _not_ my fa-"

Scorpius sighed, cutting me off. "Yeah, I know that now. But I didn't know it then, did I? And then you never explained-"

"Because I thought it was obvious!" I said sharply. "There were at least a dozen family members that saw us leave. I figured you heard what happened and you just didn't care!"

"Of course I cared!"

"How was I supposed to know that?" I challenged. "And it especially didn't look like you cared when you were snogging Jade Li in front of the whole bloody school the first moment you could!"

Scorpius gaped at me. "You saw that?" he breathed.

"Yes I did," I said hotly. "And, let me tell you Scorpius, it didn't look like there was any need to explain anything since you obviously weren't dwelling like I was!"

"Fuck," he swore, "Rose, I was miserable because I thought our kiss didn't mean anything to you."

"Of course it did-"

He interrupted, "But I didn't know that, did I? You left me alone at the Potter's. I figured that as soon as I was gone, you realised what a giant mistake you made snogging me in the first place and bolted. Alright, so maybe I should have stayed around and heard the rest of the story, but can you blame me for not wanting to stick around just to get pitying looks from Al or Victoire? So I made a run for it."

"That still doesn't explain why you were snogging Jade the first opportunity you could," I grumbled.

Scorpius shook his head. "Look, I was beyond miserable. I thought I had blown any shot I had with you to hell and back. Jade was there, and I couldn't very well turn her down in front of the entire school, could I? So sue me, I pretended she was you for a little while and snogged her. I'm not proud of it," he finished. "Plus, you had been going on about that mystery bloke that you fancied the whole evening," he finished bitterly. "Who was I to know that you weren't thinking about him the whole time?"

"Jealous?" I asked, a smile spreading over my face. _Oh the irony._

"No," he said shortly.

"Liar."

"Quite," he said sardonically, grimacing.

"So am I," I murmured, taking a step closer to him.

"You're a liar?" he asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Since when, Rosie?"

"'Mystery bloke'?" I said, laughing slightly. "Please, there was no mystery there. Come on, it was _you_ all along."

"Me?" he asked, his eyes widening.

"Yes you," I said, grinning.

"Me?" he repeated, looking a little dazed.

"Uh huh," I said, reaching out to touch his arm reassuringly. "I lied. I don't do it often, but I did do it that one time. I just didn't think you'd appreciate your best mate complicating things and making things awkward with talk of fancying."

"Oh I would've," he said fervently. He grinned. "Complication and awkwardness? So glad we missed all of that in our friendship after New Years," he said sarcastically.

I laughed. "Well, I didn't know that then, did I?" I asked, mimicking his tone from earlier.

"No, I suppose not," he said, rolling his eyes. "So… so we're good?" he asked after a moment, daring a look into my eyes.

I deliberated over his question for a second. Were we good? I didn't know. He just gave me so much to think about. It felt like our whole relationship had just been turned on its head… _again._

"I dunno, Scorpius," I said, shaking my head as I watched his expression fall slightly. "I need some time alone, okay? I still need to think."

For a moment he looked like he was about to argue with me, but then he sighed resignedly. "Alright," he said. "I'll be around if you need me, Rosie," he called as I turned away from him.

I down the hallway and left Scorpius, a bad feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. It wasn't rejecting him or anything, but there was a decidedly defeated air to his stance that I noticed as I snuck a peek behind me. I needed to sort though all the things in my mind, that much I knew. I still couldn't figure out how Scorpius could have fancied me for so _damn_ long. Three years? That was just ridiculous. How could I not have noticed anything? How could he have stood being my best mate, and only my best mate for so long?

I wandered out the front door and sat on a bench placed on the side of the front garden. I tucked my feet underneath me and turned my face toward the morning sun as I tried to relax and simply think.

I remembered certain things that had never added up with Scorpius. Things I just brushed off as weird quirks that he had.

Like the way he was completely unable to absorb any lesson I taught to him about girls, despite being one of the brightest wizards in our year. For some reason, he could never keep anything I told him in his head for more than a couple of weeks. I'd explicitly tell him something as simple as, _don't ever tell her about your ex girlfriends, _but he'd do it anyway and keep running to me as soon as he mucked it up.

I thought for a moment.

_Oh._

Maybe… he didn't want to remember. _Maybe _he'd mess up just so that he could talk to me again. Because then I'd insult his intelligence, he'd insult my hair, and we'd just end up joking and laughing and having a wonderful time. Come to think of it, I could count on one hand the number of dates that didn't feature a harassed-looking Scorpius demanding a meeting with me at one in the morning to fix something he said or did to offend her.

As loathe as I was to admit the possibility that Scorpius was so illogical as to bond with me over other girls, the explanation seemed to fit with everything I'd been through with him.

It felt… right.

There was no other way to explain it. True, he did seem more than a little mad with the way he went about doing things, but he _really_ wasn't perfect. I mean, would any ideal bloke be completely blind to my feelings for a good four straight months?

And then there was that time in fourth year when he insisted on keeping up our friendship even though the summer was over and he was no longer living next-door to me at Al's. He spent nearly an hour convincing me that he wasn't a terrible bloke to be mates with. Of course, I thought he was completely mad, but he eventually brought me around in the end.

Finally, there were the constant hair insults.

I thought long and hard.

…Nothing.

_Damn it._

I fiddled with a vine that was growing up the back of the bench as my mind whirled through possible explanations, each growing more ridiculous than the last.

There was nothing else for it. I would just have to ask Scorpius. Everything else he did made sense, I suppose. He fancied me. He had been fancying me for a long time. He just had a completely arse-backwards way of showing it. I hurriedly jumped up from my seat, my half-asleep legs protesting, and dashed into the house in search of Scorpius.

I first checked his room, but it was empty of any human life. Next I dropped by the Quidditch game that was in full swing behind the house. However, I couldn't spot any blonds among either the players or the chattering audience that was amassed around the fringes of the garden. I wandered aimlessly around the house, eyes peeled for any sign of him. I even doubled back to the kitchen to make sure he hadn't crept past me as I was looking the other way.

No Scorpius.

I circled around the house for a bit, anticipation making my nerves hum dually with excitement and dread at the prospect of seeing him. After listening to Al's advice and looking for the bloody bloke in the first place, nearly an hour had passed since I had last seen him. I quickly swung by his room again.

No Scorpius.

Again.

I grimaced in disappointment. Well, I reasoned, he must come back here sometime. Either to grab something or sleep in – _oh bloody hell_ – ten hours or so.

I slipped into his room and perched myself somewhat hesitantly at the foot of his bed, as there wasn't really anywhere else to sit. Scorpius's room was probably the smallest of the bedrooms, so small that he hadn't be forced to share a room with anyone else. It was a narrow rectangular room with one window with a view of the street at the far end and the door at the other. Along the right side of the wall was the bed. On the right side a narrow dresser was placed, although its position only allowed about four feet of passing space to the window. I stared around the cupboard of a room for a moment, utterly bored out of my mind after sitting for approximately five minutes.

I sighed and flopped down on the bed, curling into his covers and burrowing my nose into his pillow.

I grinned. It smelled of him.

A while later a soft, embarrassed cough interrupted my burrowing.

I flinched and hid my face in the pillow, hoping against hope that I had just imagined the noise.

And then it happened again.

Shite.

I promptly unstuck my face from Scorpius's pillow and tried to chirp out a sufficiently normal, "Hi!" in response to the intruder.

I failed.

Miserably.

Blushing beet red and trying to forget the fact that I had just been rolling around _in his bed_ for the past minute and a half, I reluctantly met the eyes of Scorpius Malfoy as he stood, disbelieving, in doorframe.

"Rose," he said, confused.

"Yep that's me," I said quickly, jumping up and trying to put as much distance between his bed and my person before remembering that there was actually no room to speak of in this cramped bedroom.

Damn it all to hell.

"Er, I was just…" he started, his eyes not deviating from where, a second ago, my hair had been splayed fiery red against his cream coloured sheets.

"Just…" I prompted when he failed to finish his sentence.

He cleared his throat, blinking hard. His eyes shifted to where I was standing awkwardly against the wall. "I was just going to get a book," he said. "I just finished my last one," he added, holding up a small paperback volume which he had previously been holding innocently at his side.

"So you were in the library?" I asked, shifting nervously from foot to foot.

He nodded as he strode forward to grab a book that was resting on the dresser.

"The library!" I murmured, shaking my head as I jumped up to follow him as he left the room. "The one place I forgot."

He looked mildly astonished to find me trailing after him out of his room. _"You_ forgot about a _library?_" he asked as we turned a corner towards the stairs.

"There are many floors in this house!" I said defensively as we began climbing up to the very top of the house and the attic library. _"You_ are a very hard man to find, Scorpius," I said accusingly.

He stopped short on the landing and stared at me. "You were looking for me?" he asked, baffled.

"Uh huh," I said, an uneasiness settling into the air around us. "All morning."

"Oh," he said, clearly at a loss for words. "Why?"

"Wanted to talk," I mumbled, looking out of the window above the stairs, the floor below and my shoes. Anywhere but at him.

He smiled at that one. "I never would have guessed. Er, what was it you wanted to talk about?" he asked cautiously.

"Do you_ really_ think my hair is that bad?" I asked, absentmindedly tugging on my plait.

"No," he said emphatically.

I threw him a dubious look.

"Honestly I don't," he said, his tone baring his sincerity. "I just… well, I…. _damn,"_ he drifted off. His expression was decidedly conflicted.

"That's a terrifically unhelpful answer, Scorpius," I observed.

He shrugged.

I sighed. "Alright, the insults not nearly as grating or annoying as I've been letting on. I kind of almost like them, in a way," I said.

I think I confused him even more with that one.

"So I don't mind if you keep saying them, but what I need to know is you mean them or not," I said, eyes trained on the navy blue carpet underneath my feet. "Because I've been thinking. Everything else I can explain away, but not this." I grimaced. "So do you really think my hair is as awful as you let on?"

He was silent for a moment.

"It was either that or tell you how much I liked it," he said so quietly I almost didn't catch his words.

"What?" I blurted out, head snapping up to stare at him in response.

"Years ago, I chose the lesser of two evils," he said, scuffing his foot against the floor embarrassedly. "I knew you'd figure out I fancied you if I said that it looked nice, so I chose to take the mick instead."

"Oh."

"He used it as a coping mechanism," a voice piped up from in front of us. "He'd say something stupid instead of nice to remove himself from his feelings for you."

Scorpius scowled.

Albus had suddenly appeared on floor above us. How he could be so loud last night and so silent this morning was unfathomable. That boy was such a conundrum.

"Oh," I repeated, quite at a loss for words.

"I told him he was being a prat, but he wouldn't listen to me," Al continued conversationally.

"Why couldn't you have told me earlier?" I asked my eyes flicking to Scorpius then back to Al.

Al shrugged. "Not my place," he explained.

I turned to face Scorpius.

Scorpius's eyes flicked to Al. "Pride, I suppose. I fucked up. Didn't want you to know." He sighed.

"That's… well… that's interesting."

Brilliant reflection of events, Weasley.

"Look, I couldn't very well say how pretty you were every time I saw you," Scorpius explained angrily while I blushed a vivid red. "So I made up some shite about your hair instead. Every. Damn. Time. Happy?"

"So you're saying that you'd insult me every time you wanted to compliment me?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Pretty much," Scorpius said, reaching a hand to rub the back of his neck nervously as he averted his eyes. "Fucked up, right?"

"Yeah," I muttered, a small smile touching the corners of my mouth.

"Look," he said, taking a deep breath. "I'll go, it's been a long day."

"It's _two thirty_," Al said flatly, descending the stairs to reach our landing.

I blinked. I had almost forgotten he was there.

"Long day," Scorpius repeated with a significant look to Al. And with those last words, he turned around and started back down the stairs we had just climbed.

Al turned to face me, an outraged expression plastered on his face. "That's _it?_ You're just going to let him go like that?"

"Huh?"

"You moron! He's going to pack and then leave!" Al threw up his hands in the air, frustrated.

"After that?" I asked, bemused.

Al let out a noisy breath. "Of course _after that_. He just admitted that he's basically been wooing you through his own messed up way of wooing for the past three years and you threw it back in his face! So yeah, he's leaving _after that."_

"Well I'd better go after him?" I said, phrasing it as a question as I hadn't quite registered what was going on.

"_Yeah,"_ Al said as thought it was obvious.

Which it kind of was, I was just too dazed to notice.

Who knew that every time he was making fun of me he was really holding back how much he fancied me?

Before I had quite planned on what I was going to say, I found myself at Scorpius's door. I knocked once, and it was immediately followed by a gruff, "Not now, Albus."

"Scorpius? It's Rose," I called through the wood.

I heard a barely perceptible sigh. "Come in then, Weasley."

I turned the knob and entered. The room was very much in the same state that I left it not twenty minutes ago, save for the smallish bag which was laying open in the middle of his bed.

"You're leaving?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Scorpius turned away from me to grab a couple of items on the vanity. "Yeah," he said, his eyes steadily following his hands

"Where are you going?"

"Home," he said shortly. "Mum's Easter ball is in two days. I originally planned to see Victoire off, but I think it'd be best if I left early to help prepare."

"But I'm not there," I observed quietly.

Scorpius sighed. "Kind of the point, Rose."

I pushed off the doorframe and walked to sit on his bed. I not-so-surreptitiously shoved his bag onto the floor where its contents spilled out along the hardwood and under the bed.

"Oi I just packed that!" he exclaimed.

"I want to talk," I told him straightforwardly.

Scorpius scowled. "You always want to talk."

"I always want to run away," I corrected him quietly. "And you didn't give me a chance to do that last time."

"So you came here so you could leave?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"No, you prat," I said, crawling over his covers so that I could sit against the headboard. "Sit next to me," I commanded.

"I'm fine right here," he said warily.

"Don't make me get out my wand," I threatened.

I saw him roll his eyes before moving to sit next to me on the bed

"Like I was saying," I began, "I'm usually the one running away. A few minutes ago you stole my move when you left me down there with Al. And do you know what?"

"Nobody in their right mind would want to be alone with Al?"

"Surprisingly not in this instance," I said, smiling. "I realised that being left behind after the bloke I fancy walks away from me is kind of awful. I don't know how you stood it."

"Well, for starters, I don't fancy any bloke, I fancy _you,_ so I wouldn't know," he said cautiously.

"Shut up, I'm trying to be all deep and understanding," I chided, hitting him lightly on the arm and grinning.

He managed the ghost of a smile in response.

"Anyway," I continued, "I decided that the best course of action would be to chase after you and make you stay here. With me," I added. "Because I was under the impression that you wanted some sort of second date arrangement which requires my presence."

Scorpius's eyes lit up, but his face remained impassive. "You're sure?" he asked quietly.

"Yep," I said, leaning against him so that I could rest my head against his shoulder.

"You… I don't know… still want to see me?"

I threw him a disbelieving look. "Of course I do, you great prat. Why else would I be here?"

He looked a little stumped at that.

"I don't know how to be a proper boyfriend, Rose," he admitted after a moment.

I laughed and reached for his hand. "That's quite alright. I _have_ been there with you for all of your relationships. You're forgetting that you used to come to me for advice."

"Which you never responded to," he cut in sharply.

"_What?"_

"Ever think the advice was meant to work two ways?" he drawled.

"Er, no?"

Scorpius actually smiled. "Well then, you'll just have to be more observant next time."

"I-I will then," I said tremulously.

"Good."

"So you're not leaving?" I asked hopefully.

He grabbed his wand from where it had been resting on the bed near his feet and waved his wand, making the contents of his spilled suitcase fly back to their appropriate places around the room. "Nope," he said when he was done. "I've decided to wait out my stay in full."

"Good."

"So, this date, you were talking about," Scorpius began, "When is it, exactly?"

"I dunno," I said, surreptitiously stealing peeks over at him. "Next weekend? Tomorrow's the wedding, and that'll take the whole day plus the small hours of the morning. Then you're going back to England to be with your mum and dad while I'll still be here. We won't even be on the same continent until next Thursday at the earliest." I scowled.

"Hey now," Scorpius said, tilting up my chin so that I could peer into his clear grey eyes. "How about now?"

"Now?" I repeated.

"It's lunchtime," he said, sparing a glance at his watch, "I'm hungry. I'd wager you are too. What do we say we ditch this gaggle of gingers and get out of here?"

I grinned. "Okay. Do you have anywhere planned?"

Scorpius shook his head. "I figure we'll head back to Paris – they have _the best_ food there."

"Sounds good," I said jumping up. "I'll be fifteen minutes, meet me downstairs, okay?" I pecked him lightly on the cheek and dashed out of the room without waiting for a response.

I hurried back to my room and quickly went through all of my clothes, deliberating what to wear. After about a minute of ridiculous darting back and forth between my closet and the full-length mirror, I stopped and thought.

I was being silly. Scorpius had seen me on bad hair days, bad skin days and a fair amount of bad everything days too. One date wasn't going to change his opinion of my physical attraction, I reasoned.

After that I abruptly decided on a sky blue summer dress with a plunging neckline – the better to show off his necklace.

Grimacing, I spent a good five minutes preforming all sorts of spells on my hair to keep the frizz level to a minimum and all the curls intact. I let it hang loose though, as by now I realised how often he liked playing with it and twisting it this way and that around his slender hands.

Finally, I was ready.

I eagerly flew down the hallway and skipped lightly down the stairs to where he was pacing impatiently in the entranceway. He looked up as I approached, and his face broke out into a beaming smile.

"Hey," he said as I stepped closer.

"Hey yourself," I said, blushing.

"You look nice," Scorpius whispered, his hand tangling in my loose curls as he put his arm around me.

I felt the beginnings of an outrageous blush spread across my cheeks. "Thanks," I muttered, embarrassed. I felt his arm tense around me, and I looked up to peer at his face. His eyebrows were drawn together in an expression of deep thought, but his eyes were light, clear and unmistakably revealing.

"You do," Scorpius said firmly, tilting his head to study me further. "I know I don't say it enough," he continued, clearly contrite, "but you are looking especially beautiful today, Rose Weasley."

I knew I liked his insults because they made me feel special.

But his compliments?

_So_ much better.

* * *

_A/N: And that's it! Compliments is over and my whole bizarre reason for choosing the title of my epic fic is revealed!_

_A million thanks to everyone who's ever reviewed or got in touch with me to talk about my story - both with critique and compliments alike. It's invaluable feedback, and each review is lovingly cherished._

_Anyway, if you're reading for Compliments for the 1st time, the 21st or anywhere in between, please review. I'd love to get your criticisms and advice as to how to improve. From the broad, "I think you're descriptions are lacking - you focus too much on dialogue" to the specific, "you spelled 'you're' wrong in chapter X" is welcome!_

_Sincerely,_

_Veri_


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